New Delhi   

Sharing experiences in use of RTI Act

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: A meeting on the experiences in using the Right to Information (RTI) Act in the urban and rural contexts convened by the Philippines-based International Initiative on Corruption and Governance (IICG), the National Campaign for People's Right to Information, the National Alliance of People's Movements and the Drive Against Bribe Campaigns coincided with the fourth day of the protest against the proposed amendments to the RTI Act at Jantar Mantar here on Thursday. The meeting began with enthralling music by a group of farmer-singers from Sawai Madhopur district of .

Speaking on the occasion, Tony Tujan of IICG said: "The RTI Act in India is not so striking because it is a good law -- many countries in the world have similar laws. The people of India to establish true democracy are actively using what is important and it is highly appreciated. We would like to learn how to use it the way it is being done in India," he added.

Eminent social activist Aruna Roy reiterated that the fight against corruption does not imply that we opt for privatisation. Corruption is unacceptable but there is a need to say that it is the Government which has to reform and work properly. Privatisation is not a solution, she said.

Explaining the concept of "people's governance" that IICG stood for, versus good governance as defined by the government and institutions like the World Bank, Mr. Tujan said the experiences of NGO Parivartan in exposing corruption in water privatisation in Delhi was being used in Philippines to argue against privatisation under World Bank. Representatives from Parivartan and Satark Nagarik Sangathan (Delhi), Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan (Rajasthan), The Freedom Project (Meghalaya) and Orissa spoke on the use of RTI in rural and urban areas. At the venue of the dharna at Jantar Mantar, the indefinite hunger strike by social activist and Magsaysay award winner Sandeep Pandey entered the fourth day on Thursday.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

39th Jnanpith award conferred on writer Vinda Karandikar
A peek into emerging India on the small screen
Curtains for banquets, commercial activity in residential areas
Six arrested with firearms
Delhi facing power shortage again
MCD takes stock of the situation
Sharing experiences in use of RTI Act
Capturing myriad hues of existence
Bidhuri demands notification of new Master Plan
Helping people help themselves
Robbery accused flee from custody, arrested again
DTC plan to induct women conductors for school buses
Police oppose bail plea of Vikas Yadav in Katara case
Two-day meet on law begins today
'Bungling in DUSU funds'
Soaring high
Punjab's sacred heritage
CNG supply to hotels stopped
Race for Delhi BJP chief hots up
Delhi police seek details on Fazlu from Gujarat, Mumbai
Around the City
Briefly
In the Capital Today

Copyright © 2006, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu