Bhubaneswar: The department of Public Administration, Utkal University on Wednesday celebrated Right to Information (RTI) Day to mark the 20 years of implementation of the transparency law in the country.
The Right to Information (RTI) Act-2005, the only law that empowers citizens to access official information, was enacted on June 15 and enforced on October 12. The decadal anniversary was celebrated at the Smart Classroom of the department where Prof. Mitali Chinara, Chairperson of PG Council, Utkal University graced the occasion as chief guest.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Chinara expressed concern over the implementation RTI in the country and the way citizens are using the law.
Frivolous and vague RTI applications are causing significant negative consequences, including drain on public resources, harassment of public officials, and the undermining of the law’s original purpose and spirit.
Prof. Mitali Chinara, Chairperson of PG Council, Utkal University
Addressing the students as Chief Speaker, former State Information Commissioner and senior journalist Dilip Bisoi shared the very purpose of the law and said the 20 years of implementation have witnessed a massive use of RTI by a cross-section of people in seeking various types of information, demanding accountability from public authorities, and enforcing transparency in administration. Many have used it as the biggest tool to fight against corruption, he said.
At the same time, the implementation of the law is now being diluted. While a large number of posts are lying vacant in the information commissions, most public information officers (PIOs) these days appear to be reluctant in providing information. Information commissions are functioning with less than half their sanctioned strength and pace of disposal of cases have slowed down, negating the objective of the RTI law to ensure quick disbursal of information, he observed.
Domain Expert and RTI Trainer Horsha Parichha explained the process of filing RTI applications and first appeals under the law. While Head of the Department and Associate Professor Dr. Pratima Sarangi welcomed the guests, Assistant Professor Dr. Hemant Kumar Dash moderated the event. ICSSR Doctoral Fellow and Founder of RTI Clinic-Odisha Manoranjan Panda offered the vote of thanks. Students of Public Administration and Journalism & Mass Communication departments were present.