RTI sessions by Sanjeevani

Text : Chamarthi Srinivasa Sai

There is wide spread misconception among a larger section of people of India that it requires bags of money in the form of corruption to get any work done from a Government Office. Now the time has come to change the prevailing misconception and also to guide the public, who have chosen the short cut way of corrupt practice to get their work done early and out of turn.


The Government of India has enacted the Right to Information Act, making it clear to the citizens of India that they no longer need to bear the inordinate delays in the Government/Public Offices and bear with all the decisions taken in offices under the guise of secrecy. According to the newly enacted Act, the Govt. has provided a right to know the reasons for delay and the fate of a paper in the office from time to time. It is obligatory on the part of any Govt./Public office to provide the information asked for to the citizens of India on demand without verifying by whom was the information asked and whether it is related to him. Any citizen of India has got a right to seek the information from any public office. To spread the essence of this Act to one and all "Loksatta Sanjeevani" has come forward.

AIM OF LOKSATTA SANJEEVINI:

It is already five years since the Act has come into force. It is rather doubtful to what extent the Act has succeeded in attaining the desired goals. The citizens are still tolerant to bear with the delays being caused in public offices and they have not risen to the level of questioning the officials for delays, which come to light by virtue of this Act. Now the basic aim of Loksatta Sanjeevani is to bring the people out of the stage of "sitting quiet and keep cursing that corruption in this country is increasing day by day in geometric progression". It also aims to create awareness on RTI Act and thereby make the people understand that solutions to many problems they come across in day to day life are in their own hands only.

Loksatta Sanjeevani strongly believes that when the people learn to question without being unduly patient for any solution to come, they can definitely form a foundation for a responsible, non-corrupt society where nepotism disappears automatically. Once corruption and nepotism are eliminated from the society, India will definitely race on the road of development and prosperity with jet speed.

As a part of awareness campaign, Loksatta Sanjeevani conducts regular Seminars.

INFORMATION BEING SUPPLIED IN THE SEMINARS:

In the Seminars, persons with complete knowledge on the Act are available. The aim and objectives of the Act and how it is useful to common individuals will be explained to the participants. Similarly, how to make an application for information, the details of officials to be contacted, who receives applications in public offices, the appellate officials and the formalities to be observed will be explained in detail. The limits of the Act, the limitations of information that can be sought and the steps to be taken in case of non-receipt of information will also be explained in detail. The problems faced, if any, will also be discussed and appropriate remedial action will be suggested. For the benefit of participants, a demonstration will be given.

Till now nearly 2000 students from different schools and colleges have attended these seminars. The participants have unanimously opined that the increasing trend in corruption is due to lack of transparency and lack of accountability in govt and public offices. Many students have also expressed that they are not fully aware of the details of the Act and requested for organizing more seminars of this kind.

Lakshmi, a student, during one of the seminars had informed that the officials are delaying the issuing of her caste certificate. She has come forward to convince her parents and get the certificate duly utilizing the provisions of this act without resorting to the traditional approach of bribing the official. Loksatta Sanjeevani appreciates Ms. Lakshmi and expects many more girls and boys to follow her. Even a journey of thousand miles must start with a single step. Such incidents really boost up the morale and make Loksatta Sanjeevani move forward with more vigor.

PROGRAMMES CONDUCTED, SO FAR:

So far, Sanjeevani has organized Seminars at the following colleges/public places for the benefit of students and others, who are interested in the Act.

Sri Indu Engineering College, Hyd.

Praagathi Degree College, Hyd.

Chaitanya Bharathi Engg. College, Hyd.

Anne Besant College, Hyd.

Vijetha Degree College, Hyd.

Vignanna Bharathi IT College, Hyd.

Ameerpet

St. Joseph Church, Hyd.

Visakhapatnam.

Sri B. Sambireddy has extended full cooperation in organizing the Seminars at Kukatpally. But for his commitment and dedicated work, these Seminars would not be so successful. He has meticulously planned to get the permissions from the colleges to organize the Seminars and mobilized the students and other participants and ensured the conduct of Seminars as per the schedule without any deviation.

For the Seminar organized by CBIT students, Mr. Abdul Azeez was invited to explain the provisions of RTI Act. The students have taken every care and interest to make the programmee a grand success to create awareness among the participants on the contents of RTI Act. Their efforts really need appreciation and Sanjeevani expects many more students from other colleges to follow their path in spreading the RTI Act to the nook and corner of our state and country.

FUTURE PLANS :

Sanjeevani has already trained some volunteers on this Act. It is now proposed to identify some more interested volunteers and train them on the Act to enable them to spread the Act.

Sanjeevani is now ready to depute their volunteers to give lectures on the contents of this Act. For this purpose, if any group comes forward to conduct a seminar with a feasible group of not less than 100 and communicate their intention to Sanjeevani, a date will be fixed preferably on Saturdays or Sundays with mutual consent, on which date the volunteers of Sanjeevani will be deputed to the Seminar, who will explain the Act and they will also be in a position to clarify any doubts.

If some volunteers come forward from any College/school/voluntary organization, Sanjeevani will be happy to give them training on this Act, so that they can, in turn, conduct Seminars and spread the contents of the Act to one and all.