Staff Reporter
Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Wednesday said the effective use of the Right to Information Act (RTI) will help in building a developed and corruption free country as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Inaugurating the 15th Annual Convention of Central Information Commission (CIC), the Speaker said the main aim of the RTI Act is empowering citizens, bringing transparency, getting system rid of corruption and taking democracy to the people of the country in the true sense.
He noted that the nation has set new benchmarks of socio-economic transformation in its 75 year long journey as a democracy. Referring to legislation, Shri Birla observed that keeping in view public welfare, legislative institutions at the Central and State levels have worked to empower citizens, uphold peoples’ rights and ensure accountability and transparency of the Governance apparatus.
Referring to important changes resulting from the Right to Information Act, Birla opined that e-governance, quick exchange of information and transparency in governance have curbed corruption and strengthened the rule of law. He felt that a corruption free India has an important role in Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of a developed India, which may be brought to reality through public participation.
Addressing the two-day convention titled “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Citizen – centric Governance through RTI”, Minister of state for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Jitendra Singh said the non-domiciles and non-State subjects of Jammu and Kashmir will also now be entitled to file RTI related on issues related to Union Territory (UT) or agencies.
Lauding the Commission for hearing petitions from newly carved out Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh during the peak of Covid lockdown, the minister said applicants from the UTs filed RTI applications from homes.