With the enactment of the Right to Information Act, commonly called the RTI act, the Indian Government showed to the world that there are right thinking persons in leadership. This law has compelled the Indian governmental systems to be more transparent and visible to the public.
However, it is not so easy for the common public to know about the Indian Governmental system so easily. But I should admit that the systems are improving.
For those interested to get a quick link to most of the important websites of Govt of India, the compilation on the BewareIndia website is useful. Incidentally, I have created this site to create an awareness about the root causes of corruption in the Indian society. You can read more about it in the home page of the bewareindia website.
The RTI Act became a law in India in 2005. The Ministry of Law and Justice published this act in the Government of India Gazette in June 21, 2005.
Section 4.1 (b) of this act stipulates that every public authority shall publish a detailed information regarding the authority as stipulated in the act within 120 days from the enactment of the RTI and periodically update it with all relevant information .
Unfortunately, laws are passed for the sake of it. There is no system which is reliable which ensures the implementation of the law. Moreover, it is not an easy task for any one to enforce such laws unless those concerned voluntarily follow the law. Most public authorities in India, unfortunately, do not follow the laws unless forced upon.
Even after seven years from the enactment of the RTI act in India, most public authorities have not yet complied with the stipulations of the act. Either they have ignored it, or they have complied with it half heartedly, with incomplete information mostly seen in their websites. Updation of information is almost non-existent in many public organizations, especially those in the lower hierarchies.
But then the public at large are also not very concerned or aware of the provisions of this law, though many NGOs are doing their best in such directions.
At the same time there are some, who create nuisance to public authorities already hardpressed of infrastructure and resources, by filing unwanted RTI applications.
On the overall, the RTI act as enacted in India is a good development. It gives the people a legal mechanism by which they can monitor the acts of the public authorities if they want to do it. Something they could never have done in the past!
More about the RTI act can be seen in the bewareindia website.
However, it is not so easy for the common public to know about the Indian Governmental system so easily. But I should admit that the systems are improving.
For those interested to get a quick link to most of the important websites of Govt of India, the compilation on the BewareIndia website is useful. Incidentally, I have created this site to create an awareness about the root causes of corruption in the Indian society. You can read more about it in the home page of the bewareindia website.
The RTI Act became a law in India in 2005. The Ministry of Law and Justice published this act in the Government of India Gazette in June 21, 2005.
Section 4.1 (b) of this act stipulates that every public authority shall publish a detailed information regarding the authority as stipulated in the act within 120 days from the enactment of the RTI and periodically update it with all relevant information .
Unfortunately, laws are passed for the sake of it. There is no system which is reliable which ensures the implementation of the law. Moreover, it is not an easy task for any one to enforce such laws unless those concerned voluntarily follow the law. Most public authorities in India, unfortunately, do not follow the laws unless forced upon.
Even after seven years from the enactment of the RTI act in India, most public authorities have not yet complied with the stipulations of the act. Either they have ignored it, or they have complied with it half heartedly, with incomplete information mostly seen in their websites. Updation of information is almost non-existent in many public organizations, especially those in the lower hierarchies.
But then the public at large are also not very concerned or aware of the provisions of this law, though many NGOs are doing their best in such directions.
At the same time there are some, who create nuisance to public authorities already hardpressed of infrastructure and resources, by filing unwanted RTI applications.
On the overall, the RTI act as enacted in India is a good development. It gives the people a legal mechanism by which they can monitor the acts of the public authorities if they want to do it. Something they could never have done in the past!
More about the RTI act can be seen in the bewareindia website.
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