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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | RTI: Pathetic state of implementation

RTI: Pathetic state of implementation

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published Published on May 30, 2011   modified Modified on May 30, 2011

-The Times of India

 

For a government harping on transparency and accountability, a glance through the websites of various departments brings to the fore the pathetic state of the implementation of the RTI Act. Incidentally, it was Rajasthan that laid the foundation for this law.

A survey by the Suchna Evum Rozgar Ka Adhikar Abhiyan, based on the websites of 64 government departments, shows that there are at least 17 departments that do not have a public information officer (PIO) or an appellate authority either at the office level or at the department level. Apart from this there are seven other departments that do not have PIOs or an appellate authority at the office level though they have such posts at the department level.

The survey reveals that out of the 52 departments just 30 have PIOs and 26 have an appellate authority at the office level. There are 12 departments that do not require to have such posts at the office level. At the department level, out of the 64 departments 46 have PIOs and 40 have appellate authorities.

According to Section 4 and 5 of the Act not only does every office have to have a PIO and an appellate authority but their names must also be displayed prominently outside the offices so that any new comer can approach them for information.

Among the government departments that do not have a PIO or an appellate authority at any level, and hence are the least transparent, are archaeology and museum, CM's relief fund, board of technical education, directorate of evaluation organisation, directorate of literacy and continuing education, directorates of watershed development and soil conservation, general administration and cabinet secretariat, excise, medical education, medical health and family welfare, Rajasthan police, redressal of public grievances, science and technology, technical education, tourism, urban development and housing and the geographical information system.

"This is absolutely pathetic. The Act had made it mandatory that every department and office should have a PIO within 120 days of the implementation of the RTI Act but now it is close to six years and still there are so many departments that have these offices vacant," says Kamal Tak of the Abhiyan.

The Abhiyan has also written a letter to the principal secretary of the administrative reforms department bringing to light the anomalies and has urged him to take immediate action.

The Times of India, 30 May, 2011, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/RTI-Pathetic-state-of-implementation/articleshow/8641469.cms


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