RTI act will fail if information isn’t accessed online

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RTI act will fail if information isn’t accessed online

Information needs not only be computerized but uploaded on an intelligent network that be accessed by people through video conferencing, mobile phones and computers, says Chief Information Commissioner, Central Information Commission

Idhries Ahmad, CIOL, Friday, August 08, 2008

NEW DELHI, INDIA: The Right to Information Act will fail to deliver in India if information is not available and accessed by people online. This was stated by, Chief Information Commissioner, Central Information Commission, Wajahat Habibullah .

Speaking at the annual Voce & Data awards here, Wajahat Habibullah said the information in all government offices was still recorded in files and took lot of time to be accessed which defeated the every idea of RTI.
"Information needs to be put on networks. We have a huge repository of information which needs not only be computerized but uploaded on an intelligent network that be accessed by people through video conferencing, mobile phones and computers", added Habibullah.

Citing an example from his tenure as a joint secretary under prime minister, the Chief Information Commissioner, said he had to waste a lot of time to access even a simple piece of information.

"We are still living in same setup. We need to come out of it and get the information up and accessible"

The CIO added the e-Governance initiatives in country will also hit a dead end if information available isn't integrated with knowledge and community centers residing ion rural areas.

"Government is not about sitting in offices. The RTI act is actually targeted at poor people who need information without spending on the same,"said Habibullah.

"You know how difficult it is to enter government offices. People need not travel all the way Delhi for any information or even attending courts. They should do it from their rural centers which can me made possible by technologies like video conferencing"

Putting the onus on telecom service providers, Habibullah urged the telecom stakeholders to push the government to speed up the e-governance process in the country," The acts are already placed by the government but you need to push various government sectors to hasten up the process of providing information online," said Habihullah.

Habibullah in his closing remarks urged the stakeholders to work on bridging the rural urban digital divide in the country.

©CIOL Bureau

RTI act will fail if information isn?t accessed online - CIOL News Reports