Morung Express News
Kohima | October 12
Not only government departments, but even schools, colleges, NGOs, cooperative societies, and any other institutions, including Village council and VDB, who are receiving substantial amount of assistance from the government are liable to response to any information sought by citizens under RTI Act, say State Information Commission.
At a press conference held today, on the sideline of the completion of one year of its existence, Chief Information Commissioner, Tali Temjen said that citizens can sought information from any institutions, who get assistance from the state government and are govern by rules government such as cooperative society, apart from the government departments.
State Information Commission also urged upon all departments to keep on updating the name of their PIOs, and publicize the same in the newspaper. Till date, High Court, Geology and Mining, Home (prison), Rajya Sainik Board, Tourism, Police Engineering and Urban Development have not appointed the name of the PIOs despite of several reminders, Tali also disclosed.
It also urged the departments to make voluntary RTI disclosure, either by pasting on the department’s website or by publishing in the form of books. So far twenty four departments have made this RTI disclosure. But, the Commission said most of these disclosures covered only up to the directorate level, and impressed upon the need to extend these disclosure even the secretary and commissioners level. It is likely that RTI may include even in the schools and college curriculum, as per their recommendation, the Commission said.
CIC also cleared certain misconceptions on the Commission. He said that the Commission is not an NGO, as often construed by most people, but a constitutional and statutory body of the government. Misconception two, he said, people have is that the Commission is anti-government, and clarify that the commission was created only empowered citizens to control, and create accessibility to information for transparency and accountability in the public set up.
CIC also cautioned against the used of RTI for personal vendetta, and emphasized on the need to use it maturely and responsibly.
“It is not a license to harass anybody”, Tali Temjen said, adding that reluctant on part of the PIOs to disclose sought information often results in confrontational attitude. He said that the role of the commission is only to ensure that the information sought is furnished properly and in time, and to penalize if the concern officer failed to do the same.
Although, to some extend people have become aware of the existence of the said Act, still confusion are high on how to use it, CIC said. He underscore the need to carry on awareness campaign, and the introduce e-governance for effective implementation of the Act.
