RTI implementation not up to mark: Survey

RTI implementation not up to mark: Survey
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Twelve years after being introduced, implementation of Right to Information (RTI) Act  in the state is not up to the mark, according to RTI Survey AP-2017, conducted online by voluntary organisations Samalochana and Public Forum.

Visakhapatnam: Twelve years after being introduced, implementation of Right to Information (RTI) Act in the state is not up to the mark, according to RTI Survey AP-2017, conducted online by voluntary organisations Samalochana and Public Forum.

The survey was aimed at capturing the prevailing trends in RTI Act implementation, responses of authorities and observations of RTI applicants. According to the survey, 60 per cent of RTI applicants are not satisfied with the overall implementation of RTI Act in Andhra Pradesh and only in 65 per cent of cases the RTI applicants are able to get the information.

While social welfare department and municipal administration are in the forefront of RTI Act execution, departments such as police, panchayati raj, rural Development and revenue are faring worst.

As per the survey, the worrying part is 65 per cent applicants experienced threats for using RTI Act. In 60 per cent cases, the applicants are unable to receive the information in 30 days as mandated by the law. Besides, 85 per cent of applicants expressed their dissatisfaction at the way voluntary disclosure of information as mandated by Section 4 of RTI Act is being implemented.

Voluntary disclosure of information includes roles and responsibilities of the government offices, budgets and expenditure statements, services provided and responsibilities of various officials.

“As many as 1,249 applicants across 13 districts of state, including 1,125 male applicants and 124 female applicants, participated in the survey,” said Chakradhar Buddha, Samalochana convener. The online survey was done from October 2 to 11 by opening the web link www.rtisurvey.in. Public forum convener K Venkata Ramana said that they would share the survey report with the state government.

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