Srinagar, March 20 (KNS): Jammu and Kashmir Right to Information Movement in collaboration with Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative Monday celebrated 13 years o0f RTI in the state.
Held at IMPA here, the one-day function was attended by former Chief Information Commission, G R Sofi, poet and social activist Zareef Ahmad Zareef, businessman Faiz Bakshi, Zahoor Ahmad of Amnesty International besides hundreds of RTI activists.
The RTI activists from rural areas narrated their RTI stories that created an impact in local governance and exposed bunglings of funds and public delivery services and corruption by officials in departments like CAPD, Rural Development Department.
The activists also presented a research done by a two-member team of lawyers, Bilal Ahmad and Irm Qadri, that laid bare the non-functioning of official websites and absence of disclosures about budgets etc. on these websites as per RTI Act of the state.
“The RTI is a tool to help in providing access to rights and public services to beneficiaries of welfare schemes like IAY, AAY, NREGA, whose benefits and funds are siphoned off by officials like VLWs, BDOs and Store Keepers,” said Nazir Ahmad, an RTI activist from Budgam district.
Former CIC, GR Sofi said that the legally the Commission is not working as the government delays appointment of the officials make the Commission functional.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Sofi said that the commission does not mean only appointment of CIC but the two commissioners.
“Present government created hue and cry about RTI when it was in opposition. Even the party has mentioned in its manifesto also to strengthen RTI, but now they are in government, they are yet to make the manifesto practical. The opposition parties in the state too are not raising such issues that are vital for governance and accountability,” Sofi said.
He said that as per Section 4 of RI there is no provision for penalty of punishment to officials who do not upload official information on websites. “RTI Movement should fight for these issues. I'm sorry I couldn't do it during my tenure,” he said.
CHRI’s Venkatesh Nayak said that officials and government departments refuse to provide information under RTI citing futile pretexts. “However, RTI activists should not be discouraged if officials hide information. We should pursue the cases under RTI rules,” he said.
Convener RTI Movement, Dr Sheikh Ghulam Rasool narrated the 13 years journey of RTI in the state and he shared his experience of how he promoted and encouraged people to question the government through RTI. (KNS)?