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The
responsibilities of citizens in Right to Information (RTI) are
another landmark legislation which has come into force to bring
in transparency and accountability. The act covers the
Panchayati Raj Institution and the rural development
functionaries meet any demand under this act. This act is
established under Central Information Commission and State
Information Commission in institutional and functional system: -
to enable the right to information for citizen, to access
information under the control of public authorities and to
promote transparency and accountability in the working of every
public authority.
So
it is the responsibility for all citizens to prepare themselves
for RTI. At first we should know what is the role of RTI? It is
the right to access the information which is held by or under
the control of any public authority. The RTI Act applies to the
whole of India except the State of J&K. It is applicable to
any authority or body or institution established or constituted
by the Constitution, Law made by the Parliament of the State
Legislature or by notification issued by the government. The TRI
act is also applicable to any body which is owned, controlled or
substantially financed directly or indirectly by the Government.
The
word “Right to Information” includes the right to inspect
works, documents and records; taking notes extracts or certified
copies of documents and records and samples of materials.
Obtaining information in the form of printouts, floppies, tapes,
video cassettes or any other electronic form is also included in
right to information. The government of India has enabled the
RTI Act-2005 and it received the assent of the President on 5th
June, 2005.
Panchayati
Raj is a constitutional body, democratically elected and
decnetralised unit of rural self-government. It is a suitable
institutional apparatus of sustainable rural development in the
country. It is a people’s institution embedded in the social,
economic and cultural milieu. Panchayati Raj is a constitutional
body of RTI Act. It enables participation of the people, working
under the Gram Sabha and particularly local self-management.
Gram Sabha is a village assembly where all the registered voters
of the village are members. It is a constitutionally mandated
body and basic unit of democracy. Gram Sabha is a forum for
direct participation of people to discuss and manage village
affairs and developmental activities. Gram Sabha is the suitable
venue to share information regarding RTI. It provided in the
respective state Panchayat Acts and large Gram Sabha has to
perform administration of Gram Panchayat even a watch-dog
working f Gram Panchayat.
In
this regard Panchayat should play a pivotal role to disseminate
the knowledge of RTI to the rural masses through Gram Sabha.
Gram Sabha is the weapon of Panchayat to execute any rural
development programme at micro level. With the help of the Gram
Sabha the village people can be informed, aware and motivated
regarding any issue related to development. So PRIs is the
implementing authority at grass root level. In order to
strengthen the PRI, importance has to be given on Gram Sabha and
Gram Sansad. Gram Sabha can create awareness among the people
regarding RTI and can propagate about the purpose and objective
of RTI.
In
the context of Tripura, obviously it is disseminated through
Panchayat where GS is used as weapon. In this state, the
Panchayat has been working with good reputation since seventies.
The NIRD team came at SIPARD to train the people (Trainer of the
Trainers-ToT) comprising with various participants like
Government officials, Legislative members, Researchers,
Academicians, students, and the members from Zilla Parishad/Panchayat
Samity and Gram Panchayat. Now a target has been set up that all
the elected members of ZP/PS/GP/NGO and grass root level worker
will get training from SIPARD.
In
this regard, Tripura is one of the states in India who is
working satisfactorily at grass root level with the help of
Panchayat/Gram Sabha for implementing, disseminating and
creating awareness about Right to Information.
February 2008
Dr.
Rajesh Chatterjee, Lecturer, Tripura University & Sangita
Chakraborty, Student of Philosophy, Burdwan University, West
Bengal
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