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Raje assures early implementation of Information Act

Special Correspondent

Right to Information Act in Rajasthan

JAIPUR: Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje has promised an early implementation of the Right to Information Act, 2005, by appointing the Chief Information Commissioner and public information officers and creating the infrastructure.

The Government is keen on the Act, she promised a delegation led by Magsaysay Award winner Aruna Roy here.

Activist groups had threatened to launch an agitation in the State over the issue as seven months after the passage of the Central Act -- which has its roots in the public movement for information on spending on development works at the panchayat level - the Rajasthan Government is yet to create the necessary infrastructure for the implementation of the new legislation.

"We don't have anything to hide. In fact, the provisions of the Act would reduce the problems of the Chief Minister and the administration to a great extent," Ms. Raje told the delegation. She blamed non-availability of the Leader of the Opposition for the delay in deciding on the CIC.

Ms. Raje said the CIC would be appointed by February 15 after discussing the names with the committee set up for the purpose.

The Chief Minister proposes to launch a State-wide campaign on the right to information after March 31. "I want to send out the message personally. The implementation of the Act would bring in transparency and accountability in the system," she said.

As per the rules, the CIC has to be appointed by a committee, which includes the Chief Minister, the Leader of the Opposition and a Minister appointed by the Chief Minister.

The delegation included Mamta Jaitley of Vividha, human rights activist Prem Krishna Shamra, Kavita Srivastava of the People's Union for Civil Liberties, Sawai Singh of the Samagra Seva Sangh, Girish Bhugra and Saumya Sivkumar of the National Campaign for People's Right to Information.

Activist groups had threatened to launch an agitation in the State over the issue

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