Members of the civil society are all set to pull the governments — both central and the states — for not spending enough money to publicise the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2005, thereby limiting the use of this powerful tool. The issue will be raised in a two-day annual convention on “RTI and its ramifications for good governance”, to be organised by the Central Information Commission in New Delhi on November 3 and 4. While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will address the inaugural session, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee is likely to deliver the concluding speech. Besides State Information Commissioners, the event will see the participation of civil society, activists and media persons - not only from India but also from SAARC nations.During the convention, experts will deliberate on a variety of topics like RTI in South Asia, role of media and civil society to promote RTI, poverty alleviation and RTI, protection of privacy and RTI, transparent governance and RTI. The focus would be on the need to formulate a different strategy for the implementation of RTI in rural areas. “RTI applications filed in rural areas are extremely probing and sometimes put governments in difficult position. Violence and harassment related to the RTI queries in rural areas are rampant, therefore we need to formulate strategies to ensure sufficient protection to rural folks,” said Nikhil Dey of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangthan, also one of the panelists at the event.Dey said the masses are using the Act but the government is reluctant to address the RTI queries. “Though not enough publicity has been done to make the Act reach the common man, yet people, even in rural areas, are using it,” he added.During the event, Information Commissions of almost all the states will stress on their usual demand for financial autonomy and improved infrastructure. “Lack of proper infrastructure is a universal complaint of all the states - which was raised in the last two conventions also,” said Uttar Pradesh State Information Commissioner Gyanendra Sharma. Even the Central Information Commission is facing the infrastructure problem, as it operates from two different places in Delhi, he added.
