April 25, 2010  

The Implementation of Right to Information Act in Himachal Pradesh in the right perspective is resulting in transparent and responsive Governance. People of the State are getting the desired information quickly. Thanks to the directives of the State Government to provide information to the applicants on priority. The increase in applications received under Right to Information Act shows the awakening amongst the masses about their right to information. The State Information Commission is also playing an important role by disposing off the appeals under the Act on priority.

In the State during 2008-09, 124 public authorities received 17,869 applications and 259 cases were rejected by the PIO's. As against the receipt of 17,869 applications, 118 public authorities received 10,105 applications during previous year. The applicants before the designated appellate authorities filed 338 first appeals and the Commission received 204 complaints and 184 second appeals. A fee of Rs. 8,07,939 has been collected by various public authorities during the same period.

Public Information Officers or various public authorities furnished the desired information to the applicants except in 259 cases where the applications were rejected i.e less than 1.4 per cent of the total applications. Last year, the rejection of applications was 2.8 percent of the total applications.

Right to Information Act is not an ordinary law, but a law that has ensured openness and transparency much to the detriment of those who had a vested interest in keeping things under wraps. Going by the success stories, it seems that the Act has worked wonders across the country, bringing joy to a large.

The RTI gives to each individual citizen the means to question and to get answers. The Act has, in a manner of speaking, now created a virtual 'Parliament of the People' where every citizen, through a simple method, can seek information from public authorities, and expect a response in 30 days. This has been the biggest fundamental difference that has been brought about by the RTI enactment, providing relatively easy access to information. There is no doubt that the flow of information to the citizens helping them to make enlightened judgments.

Interaction between the citizens and the public authorities is important in making democracy participatory and to move forward towards the common goals of progress and prosperity. The Right to Information Act has the potential to make Government and the people work together for the benefit of both. Citizens exercising the right to information have substantially grown in numbers, complexion, and stature. There are many illustrative cases-physically handicapped persons getting their entitlement, women getting old age pension, students getting correct evaluation of exams, damaged roads being repaired.