Govt departments take 6 months to reply to RTI queries: Survey

Govt departments take 6 months to reply to RTI queries: Survey
TNN | Mar 26, 2012, 02.48AM IST

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/Govt-departments-take-6-months-to-reply-to-RTI-queries-Survey/articleshow/12408380.cms

LUCKNOW: The Right to Information (RTI) Act may have helped unearth
some of the biggest scams and anomalies in schemes like NRHM and
MGNREGA, but it is yet to become a potent tool to fight injustice for
the common man. And the biggest stumbling block is the attitude of the
government departments. The Act lays down that information should be
provided within 30 days to the seeker.

But a survey taken up by an NGO shows that six months is the average
time taken to answer an RTI query in UP by the government departments.
Most of the times, information provided is either incomplete or
irrelevant. The number of rising complaints at the State Information
Commission (SIC) shows that government departments are yet to take the
Act seriously.

"Reason why we get more complaints than appeals is the non-functional
first appeals authority," said an information commissioner. The RTI
Act was enacted by the Parliament on June 15, 2005. In UP, the Act was
made functional in April 2006. Despite being in existence for the past
six years, the Act is yet to be implemented in letter and spirit in
the state. Talking to RTI applicants who come to the commission
everyday from far-flung districts makes one realise the ground
reality.

Many applicants said that they had missed the date of hearing in their
case on some or the other occasion in the past because they did not
get the notice by the commission delivered on time. The commission,
though, has started uploading the cause list on its website, the low
net penetration does not make it happening. There are applicants who
have waited for years to get the information they sought. The poor
level of awareness about the Act is another major roadblock. The
government should keep conducting workshops and seminars to educate
people and officers about the Act. A lot can be changed for RTI if
State Information Commission (SIC) is given financial autonomy.
"Central government should fund state information commissions to
retain their autonomous structure," said sources. State government can
allocate a contingency fund for the SIC also.

--
- Urvashi Sharma
Right to Information Helpline 8081898081
Helpline Against Corruption 9455553838
http://yaishwaryaj-seva-sansthan.hpage.co.in/