RTI replies should be timely, transparent and trouble-free: PM

Trust also increases: PMPeople should have a right to question the government.

The PM also said that while RTI could provide information about a “process” – he gave the example of building a bridge – it did not provide information about the quality of the final “product”. “When matters go online, all issues become transparent and the key objective of RTI is to bring transparency in governance…Maximum online, maximum transparency”. “To bring reform, we must change our fundamental behaviour”, he said.

In his welcome address Shri Vijay Sharma, Chief Information Commissioner said that Commission is looking at the RTI Act as timely, relevant and usable legislation.

A group of activists boycotted the inaugural session claiming that a large number of them were barred from entry in the convention as authorities cited security reasons.

“If a question is asked by a citizen, there must be a few issue in government for which the need for question arose”.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asked government departments to keep in mind three ‘T’s – timeliness, transparency and trouble-free approach – while replying to RTI applications as that would help in reducing errors in governance.

He also referred to his own state, saying that in Gujarat, he had seen “several examples of the poorest of poor people using RTI”.

Modi said the foundation of democracy is that every citizen has the right to question the government. Angry activists said CIC conventions had always been inaugurated by prime ministers and presidents in the past, but never before had activists been restricted from participation. He further stated that a debate should be encouraged to find out how RTIs can be used to develop the process of good governance.

“Only responding to RTI questions can not bring change in governance”. He mentioned that transparency in Government, ease of governance and citizen centric governance are the main pillars of governance of the present Government and are in sync with the directions by the Prime Minister of India for “Maximum governance and Minimum Government”.

“It has transformed us during the last few decades and particularly in the last decade, from a society that relished in secrecy”, he said.

Jaitley said the administrators will have to do a balancing act between “strengthening the exercise of this Right and preventing possible abuse in the implementation of this particular legislation”. After the inaugural session, various technical sessions are scheduled on themes focusing on working of the Commission and the benefits of the RTI Act.