Our Correspondent
Kohima, July 4 (EMN): “Good governance can help secure human well being and sustainable development while poor governance could erode individual capabilities as well as institutional and community capacities to meet sustenance needs,” said Dr. Hovithal N Sothu, deputy director (training) ATI at a one-day sensitization programme on Right to Information Act.
Dr. Hovithal N Sothu, while speaking at the programme, said the concept of RTI is for formulation and implementation of policies and programmes that are equitable, transparent, non-discriminatory, socially sensitive, participatory and above all accountable to the people at large.
The sensitization programme was organised by the directorate of school education for its joint directors, deputy directors, assistant directors PIOs, APIOs, superintendent and assistant superintendent officers at its conference hall on July 4.
Outlining the imperative role of RTI towards good governance, which is crucial for achieving plan targets, Sothu said people’s participation at all stages of planning, implementation and monitoring is a pre-requisite of good governance.
While policy and procedural reforms will be effective only when people know that such changes have been made, he maintained that in this way, the task of development administration will become easier if steps are taken to make information available as a matter of right to the citizens.
RTI, he explained is a part of fundamental rights under Article 19 (1) of the Constitution which gives the right to freedom of speech and expression to every citizen that establishes a process for accessing information held by public authorities while also it Provides a grievance redressal mechanism for citizens who have been denied information in an unreasonable manner.
Sothu said the objective of the RTI is to create a practical regime of right to information for citizens to secure transparency and accountability of public authorities and to create a statutory right to information in every citizen.
A good Right to Information Act, Sothu pointed should have Duty to Disclose (DTD) (suo motu); Duty to Publish (DTP) (suo motu) and Duty to Furnish (DTF) (on request).
The specialty of the RTI Act, Sothu said RTI Act is the only Indian Act which do not have immunity for PM or President, does not respect any hierarchy where government implements and citizen supervise the implementation and government is not the master of the public but servant of the people.
He also explained in detail the historical perspective of RTI Act, status of RTI laws in the world and India, chronology of FoI laws, judicial judgements and the technical aspects of the Act.
He further informed that within 100 days of the Act which came into force on June 15, 2005, Nagaland government has appointed all administrative heads, heads of departments and heads of office as Public Information Officers (PIOs) on October 6, 2005.
Sothu also explained in detail on how to handle RTI application and the roles, responsibilities and functions of the PIOs and APIOs and the penalty associated with the Act.
Principal Director, Smita Sarangi in her keynote address pointed out that RTI being a fundamental right of the citizens, no officer can deny the citizen in providing information.
Therefore, she said it is important for the education officers to acquaint themselves with the knowledge and act accordingly when situation arise.
While urging the officers to broaden their scope and perspective, Sarangi expressed hope that through this programme, a first of its kind would benefit the department officers.
