CENCORED,
state partner of PRIA in Bihar,
conducted several activities to
promote RTI in the state, in partnership
with Government functionaries, Citizen
Collectives and Elected Representatives.
Orientations,trainings,meetings
and workshops were organised to drive
home the importance of the Right to
Information Act as a tool for reforming
governance and promoting administrative
transparency.
Campaigns
A
joint front for wide promotion of
the RTI in the state was formed, called
Suchna Ka Adhikar Prahari Sangh. This
platform consists of CSOs, CBOs, Citizen
Collectives at both levels (Panchayat
and Municipality levels).
The
front was successful in carrying the
message of using RTI as a social development
tool by enabling access to important
information on Government programmes
and policies. People got to know that
the Right to Information is a practical
tool, which they could use in their
day-to-day life and everyday interaction
with Government departments/public
authorities.
Training
and Workshops
A
state level workshop was organised
in Patna in December 2006, in which
more than 50 representatives from
CSOs participated. Participants were
appraised of the historical evolution
of the Right to Information regime,
salient provisions of the RTI Act
and their implications.
Interactive
games, including Card game and Snake
& Ladder game, were also held
to facilitate the better grasp of
the technical provisions of the Act
and easy understanding. Participants
were also trained to draft RTI applications
to different public authorities and
file Appeals if there is denial of
information.
Presentations
on ‘Good Governance and RTI’
and ‘RTI & Basic Services’
were also held to highlight the importance
of RTI as an enabling tool for good
governance and cutting bureaucratic
red tape and governmental apathy.
There was also a special session,
wherein the State Information Commissioner
was invited for interaction with the
participants .The SIC took a very
positive stand on the need to implement
the RTI Act in right earnest and assured
all possible help from the Commission’s
side to help people get information
from all public authorities in the
state.
A
district level workshop was organised
in Muzaffarpur, in which provisions
of the RTI Act and process of obtaining
information from public authorities
were explained to Elected Woman Representatives
(EWRs) as well as general citizens
. Citizens were also enabled to file
applications to different public authorities,
so that they feel comfortable in using
the Act to solve their day-to-day
problems. The participants were urged
to carry the message of RTI far and
wide, so that mass consciousness is
created on this vital issue, which
can bring in transparency and accountability
in Government institutions right up
to the Panchayat level.
Through
trainings, the local government institutions
have been urged to include RTI in
their functioning. PRIs were also
oriented to proactively disclose information
on their structure and functions as
mandated under the RTI Act. With an
increased knowledge of the Act and
its uses, participants in the training
programmes were in a better position
to use the Act.
Promoting
Proactive disclosure
The
efforts of CENCORED to promote RTI
in the state also resulted in greater
compliance of the requirement for
proactive disclosure by local Government
institutions in the state.
PRIs
have been urged to include RTI and
Proactive Disclosure in their functioning
and efforts were initiated for building
model Panchayats on RTI, in the intensive
locations. There is also pressure
being generated for proactive disclosure
regarding important government schemes,
such as National Rural Employment
Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) and other
rural development programmes.
The
local government institutions are
also being urged to systematise the
information available with them for
complying with the requirements of
proactive disclosure.
Impact
•
Platform (Suchna ka Adhikar Prahari
Sangh),consisting of CSOs,CBOs and
Citizen Collectives for promoting
RTI created • With increased
knowledge regarding Right to Information
and its concepts and applications,
more than 40 RTI applicatons have
been filed by Citizen Leaders/Citizen
Collectives with different public
authorities. • Both Panchayats
and Muncipalities have been oriented
on RTI. • Awareness has
been generated on the proactive disclosure
requirements under Section 4 of he
RTI Act. • Regular liaison
has been established with the State
Information Commissioner for seeking
his cooperation on the implementation
of RTI in the state. • District
level workshops were held,with special
focus on training Elected Women Representatives(EWRS),which
resulted in their using the Act actively.
