By TCN News,
Bhopal: The Right To Information Act (RTI) came into force in the country in 2005. Though a key instrument for public to make government departments accountable, there are very few people interested in using the law. Law graduate and social activist Nazim Ali Khan of Ballarpur town in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra is among the few who used RTI successfully for various purposes. The efforts have now won Khan a national award for effective use of RTI.
The award was given to Khan at a workshop held on March 4, 2011 under the scheme “Improving Transparency and Accountability in Government through Effective Implementation of the Right to Information Act, 2005” in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh. The workshop was organized by Department of Personnel and Training, Government of India in collaboration with RCVP, Noronha Academy of Administration and Management, Government of Madhya Pradesh.
Nazim Ali Khan receiving award
The objective of the workshop was to provide knowledge sharing platform for activists to share and search for best practices in the field of capacity building, awareness generation, community mobilization and innovation in RTI and also to deliberate on the steps that needs to be taken to further improve the cause and strengthen the RTI regime.
RTI activists from various states including Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh were invited to the workshop. The participants were asked to submit their papers on the topic “Five Years of RTI Act and Looking Ahead”. They were directed to mention in their writ-ups their experiences and success stories in their respective field using RTI as a tool. At the workshop Nazim Khan was selected for the national award for the best practice of RTI.
Addressing the gathering after receiving the award Nazim Khan said: “It is high time when the offices of the RTI Commissioners are overburdened with complaints and appeals under RTI and hence we must resolve this problem by educating people and making them realize their duties and to exercise their rights diligently in result oriented manner.”
S.K. Tiwari, State Information Commissioner, Chhattisgarh, was chief guest of the occasion while Bhaskar Patil, State Information Commissioner, Maharashtra and Mohan Rao, Head of Noronha Academy of Administration and Management, Bhopal were special speakers of the function.
Besides, the Information Commissioners, Officers In-Charge of RTI in various State Governments, RTI trainers, representatives of civil society, media as well as academicians were also present at the program.