Survey soon to find out how far RTI has achieved its goal

[karira]

As per Bureau Report in zeenews.com on 10 March 2008:
Zee News - RTI Act survey

Survey soon to find out how far RTI has achieved its goal

New Delhi, March 09: RTI activists will conduct a nation-wide survey soon to find out how far the Right to Information Act has achieved its desired objective of bringing transparency and accountability in the government`s functioning.

The survey, to be launched by the National Campaign for People`s Right to Information (NCPRI), an umbrella body of over 100 organisations working on right to information, will go to the people, NGOs and government officials to seek their views on how the act has benefited and the challenges being faced.

"We will launch the survey from April one. We will touch all the stakeholders in the six-month exercise," noted RTI activist Aruna Roy, the founder member of NCPRI, said.

Roy said the organisations associated with NCPRI will find out how many people in rural areas know about the RTI Act that came into being in 2005. The survey will also seek to know how any people have used the RTI Act to get information that is useful to them.

The survey assumes significance as the RTI Act completes three year of its implementation on October 12, 2008.

"The report will be ready by October 12. It will create more awareness about the act and help the stakeholders overcome the challenges," Sekhar Singh of NCPRI said.

The RTI Act was enacted after a nation-wide campaign launched by NCPRI and many other organisations associated with it.

[Maruthi]

Respected sirs from NCPRI and other RTI activists,

It is most unfortunate to mention here that even after 3 years of implementation of RTI Act, 2005 the incidents that are happening are : One example in Central Govt. Under taking PSU: After filing an RTI application by a House wife of an employee of that central PSU who has faced tough time with the administration (just because of honestly and sincerely working for the PSU and country's development), the entire administration became the big enemy of this family just to hide their corrupt practices, sent office staff and goondas to their house used their own PSU vehicle to entre the residential compound, harrashing this family in one way or other till it is continued. these officers are misbehaving with the children of that employee. given many wrong and incorrect reply on RTI quiry to this family, given with life threat to entire family.

All these things are communicated to many superiors, but insted of taking action on calprit officers, they are supporting such actions. (Most unfortunate).

If heads of Central PSU and their officers behave in such a way with the family members of their own PSU staff and teesing this family and telling to approach to supreme court insted of CIC, i donot think any survey in villages is required to be undertaken that how RTI act is working.

I am very sorry if I am harsh in disclosing the facts, but this is not the full facts it is only one small example of the officers and supperiors of this PSU.

Ohh..GOD ....help ....this family