RTI for Effective Governance By Shyamlal Yadav Examples

RTI for Effective Governance By- Shyamlal Yadav

Examples: Impact on governance � � � � � Everywhere it is helping to improve governance It is force multiplier for governance if implemented properly Thousands of issues were brought into notice by RTI activists and course corrections were made in many cases Some instances show that many things were impossible to improve if there was not RTI Act If story is published in media, impact is more effective Resistance from the governments shows its effectiveness In many states condition is worse than center Only four states started online portal to facilitate filing and disposal of RTI applications I have several such examples which show the impact of RTI into effective governance, but showing some cases here

Honorary doctorates to people in power Story Impact

Predatory Journals: #Fake Science Story Impact

Bank managers’ Re 1 in Jan Dhan A/c � First day government was silent, next day FM Sh Arun Jaitley ordered four banks to inquire in to. Report shows banks accepted their mistake and regretted, apologized. No further action taken Story Impact

Ministers’ foreign trips Story Impact

Foreign travel of bureaucrats Story Impact

Code of Conduct of Ministers � Story was published in June 2008, and UPA-2 government formed in June 2009, all ministers declared their assets and liabilities on time. This is followed by present government and NDA-1 as well. Story Impact

Assets of bureaucrats � Filed numerous RTI to know the details of assets and liabilities filed by senior bureaucrats. Do. PT was protesting my appeal at CIC, on the other hand it initiated new measures to put these declarations in public domain. Story Impact

LIC’s historic scheme for revival Story Impact

MPs’ working relationship � After publication of the story Ethics Committee of Rajya Sabha passed a resolution that Members will not appoint their close relatives as their PA Story Impact

Armed Indians � Now NDAL (National Database of Arms Licences is in place and information centrally maintained, every weapon has got unique number under NDAL Story Impact

India Vs Others wrt RTI � Tony Blair, implemented Fo. I in UK as Prime Minister but when out of power, he said: “For political leaders, it's (Fo. I) like saying to someone who is hitting you over the head with a stick, 'Hey, try this instead', and handing them a mallet…. We did it with care, but without foresight. ” -A Journey, by Tony Blair, 2010, Random House (In India, ruling parties may be trying to make RTI law ineffective but none criticized publically)

1. Several decisions affecting the functioning of government offices, ministers, bureaucrats, judges, other public servants were taken because of RTI. 2. Ask yourself: Was all this information accessed by me was possible to come out without RTI? 3. RTI is a tool of effective governance, strengthen it. 4. All ruling parties never like RTI, there is hardly any advertisement in newspapers from central and state governments to popularize the RTI and educate the process. 5. Parties in opposition take shelter to RTI, in many cases it is noticed. 6. Continuous dialogue between State Governments and State Information Commissions is needed to make law effective in respective states. 7. In several states the approach towards RTI law is very bad be it UP, Bihar, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, West Bengal and many others. In center and most of the states ministers’ assets and liabilities in public domain, in UP nobody even know how many have declared, forget about putting it in public domain. 8. Lack of public interest information in public domain leads more RTI applications, but governments never bother about putting more and more information in public domain and they complain about the rising number of RTI applications. So, they are also responsible for that.

Thank you Shyamlal Yadav Senior Editor, The Indian Express; Member, ICIJ. Author of JOURNALISM THROUGH RTI: INFORMATION, INVESTIGATION, IMPACT Phone: +91 9868400278 Email: shyamlal. yadav@expressindia. com