 |
|||||
|
|
||||
|
|||||
|
||||||||||||
Citizens Best Tool RTI Is Ineffective In HaryanaBy ugesh sarkar, Section GN
The government of Haryana implemented the RTI Act in 2005 for realising the goal of good governance. But, the experience so far shows that it has remained elusive on account of various reasons.
The very purpose of the RTI to ensure transparency and accountability of the governance apparatus could not be realised because people are unaware about the existence of the RTI Act and hence cannot be expected to make use of it. Another constrain is the appointing of junior officers as PIOs who are not able to get cooperation of their colleagues and support of their superiors for gathering information demanded by applicants. The junior functionaries remain accountable under the RTI without having the requisite authority for playing the role in an effective manner. PIOs tend to give inadequate information and hide crucial facts at the instance of their superiors. They use ambiguous and ambivalent language in their responses. Consequently, in most cases, they follow the letter of the RTI Act but violate its spirit in a brazen manner. The mandatory provisions for self-disclosure of information are rarely followed by the authorities. The needed information is either not published or is not given adequate publicity. Websites of various public authorities too are either non-existent or rarely updated. Some of the public authorities have not even cared to display the names, phone numbers and addresses of their PIOs, APIOs and the appellate authorities at public places. Most of the PIOs do not have adequate knowledge about the Act and the rules. The main reason is the virtual absence of state training policy on the RTI Act. The capacity building of the PIOs has not got the priority it needs. The problem has been compounded by the appointment of such officials as SPIOs and APIOs as are devold of the needed academic and professional background. Illiterate sarpanches have been appointed SPIOs for gram panchayats. Likewise, gram sachives, some of whom are not even graduates, have been made APIOs. Source: The Tribune Citizens Best Tool RTI Is Ineffective In Haryana Click On "Full Story" For More...
Adequate budgeting provisions have also not been made for the supply of information. The PIOs and APIOs are not paid any honorarium for the additional work which is regarded by them as unwanted and unnecessary. Hence, most of them do not discharge this unwanted duty in a sincere manner.
A major bottleneck in the information regime of Haryana is the inadequacy of infrastructure. The SPIOs are not provided separate office, the facilities of phone/fax/e-mail or secretarial. assistance. Most of them do not have computers and internet facilities. Some of those who have got these are not computer savvy. They cannot use these facilities. Records are not maintained in a proper manner. In some offices indexing of records is conspicuous by its absence. Annual statements and reports are not maintained. The online maintenance of the record and its updating are an exception rather than a rule. A major hurdle in the way of the success of the information regime is the heavy cost that information seekers are required to bear. Even the application fee is five times higher in Haryana than at the Centre. It is Rs 50 instead of Rs 10 per application. Besides, the cost for the supply of information per page or in the form of disc and floppy is so high that it dampens the enthusiasm of information seekers. The RTI is also being misused by mischievous persons for harassing their colleagues. It is also used for blackmailing the authorities by some undesirable elements. Moreover, there are numerous instances of applicants demanding irrelevant or frivolous information. Voices have also been raised against the composition of the State Information Commission. It has been packed by those retired bureaucrats who were in the good books of their political masters. Appointments have been made on political considerations and some undeserving persons have been adjusted at information commissions. This has put a question mark on the impartiality, efficiency and judiciousness of the Commission despite the fact its record has so far been beyond reproach. Another problem relates to inordinate delays in the disposal of appeals by the commission. Although the Act has fixed the time limit for the PIOs and the appellate authorities for deciding the cases, no such time frame has been made for the commission. It has created a great deal of backlong. Be that as it may, the RTI regime in Haryana has many hurdles. But there is no need for despondency. The RTI regime is at an infant stage and teething problems are bound to be there. But at the same time requisite changes must be made in the Act in the light of the past experience. The necessary infrastructure too must be created. All-out efforts should be made for introducing e-governance in the state so that the required information is available online. However, more important in the context of the RTI regime is the need for changing the mindset of the people at the helm of affairs. Equally important is to create awareness among the masses and undertake capacity building of the PIOs.
Citizens Best Tool RTI Is Ineffective In Haryana | 0 comments (0 topical, 0 hidden) | Post A Comment
Related Links. website. internet . web . Citizens Best Tool RTI Is Ineffective In Haryana . Also by ugesh sarkar |
|
All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective companies. Comments are owned by the Poster. The Rest (c) GurgaonSCOOP.com and QBTPL. |
| Home | Ask Questions | Computer Gupshup | Free Member Diaries | Contact Us - Sanjay @ 98 712 19911 |
