Geneva: Vahanvati showcases RTI,NREGS,RTE

The Right to Information Act has revolutionised the concept of good governance and made it transparent and accountable.

Attorney General Goolam E Vahanvati on Thursday said that while India faced many problems due to its size and diversity,steps taken by the government had resulted in social and cultural integration and elimination of disparities in the country.

In his opening statement as the leader of the Indian delegation to the second four-yearly universal periodic review UPR in Geneva,Vahanvati said that several significant developments had taken place in the field of human rights in the last many years.

The Right to Information Act has revolutionised the concept of good governance and made it transparent and accountable. Several seminal legislations have brought in a rights-based approach to those areas which are fundamental to human existence inter alia work and employment,education and food security. These include the landmark Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act,the Right to Education Act of 2009,and the National Food Security Bill,which has been introduced in Parliament a few months ago to provide food security, he said.

Referring to the concerns over Armed Forces Special Powers Act in Jammu and Kashmir and the Northeast,the AG,while pointing to the threats to the country from terrorists and Left-wing extremism,said several checks and balances had been introduced to ensure that there are strict guidelines for the armed forces when dealing with terrorists and insurgents.

Mittal,Kanoria to lead industry team

Bharti Enterprises Sunil Mittal,Essars Ravi Ruia,Tatas B Muthuraman and JSPLs Naveen Jindal are likely to be among industry leaders who will accompany PM Manmohan Singh during his Myanmar visit beginning May 27. The 15-member India Inc team will be jointly led by Mittal and Rajya Vardhan Kanoria,chairman of Kanoria Chemicals and Industries,official sources said Thursday.