RTI guidance clinic launched in the city
Sakaal Times: To boost transparency in governance, city-based Non-Government Organisation (NGO) Centre for Communication and Development Studies (CCDS) in association with Public Concern for Governance Trust (PCGT) has unveiled a new Right to Information (RTI) guidance clinic here on Wednesday.
RTI guidance clinic is located in Flat No 301, 2nd Floor, Kanchanjunga Building, near Krishna Dining Hall, off Law College Road.
“The clinic would act as a facilitator to eliminate the fear about RTI among common people and government servants. The purpose is to provide accurate information about RTI and its benefits in aiding clearness in governance,” said CCDS programme officer Rakesh Ganguly.
Ganguly said that CCDS, which functions as a documentary centre, was active with other advocacy groups in spearheading the campaign to enact RTI Act. As an outcome of that initiative, it was decided that a clinic designed to guide people should be launched.
He said, “The RTI Act can only be resourceful if there is a wholehearted participation of citizens or transforming it into a citizen’s movement.”
PCGT programme officer Nitin Sonawane said, “In RTI, it is very important that people should know how to draft the application or for that matter where to appeal. Any error in the draft or while framing the questions can derail the whole process as the competent authority can simply dismiss the application as not understood.”
Under RTI one cannot ask questions to the authority but can only seek requisite information through proper drafting, said Sonawane. He pointed out that the ‘spirit of the law always empowers people’ in any civilised society. Hence, exploiting provisions of RTI Act will help create a better society.
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