RTI Act Aims to Strengthen Indian Democracy: Minister Jitendra Singh

The Minister noted that empowered citizens are an important pillar of democracy and the CIC will continue to work for empowering the people through information. 

Lok Sabha Speaker, Om Birla, said today (November 9) that the main aim of the Right to Information Act (RTI Act) is to empower citizens, bring transparency, get the system rid of corruption, and take democracy to the hands of the people of the country. 

Speaking at the 15th Annual Convention of Central Information Commission (CIC) titled, “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Citizen–centric Governance through RTI” at Vigyan Bhawan, Om Birla said that effective use of the RTI Act will help in building a developed and corruption-free India, as envisioned by the prime minister Narendra Modi.

Union Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr Jitendra Singh said, transparency and citizen-centricity are the hallmark of the Modi governance model. 

The Minister noted that empowered citizens are an important pillar of democracy and the CIC will continue to work for empowering the people through information. He added that the RTI Act is not a standalone law, but it is part of the larger narrative of strengthening Indian democracy and ensuring transparency in governance.

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Dr Jitendra Singh noted that it was during the Modi government that a 24-hour portal service was introduced for e-filing of the RTI applications. He added that technology has been harnessed for developing mobile based applications, e-filing, e-hearing, e-notification, etc. while facilitating the task of information seekers in availing remedies under the law. 

The mobile app developed by CIC enabled citizens to file appeals with ease, besides using technology for audio video hearing of cases. The Minister said, as a result, the CIC has succeeded in reducing the pendency from 38116 cases in the year 2020-21 to 23405 cases in the year 2021-22.

Referring to indiscriminate filing of RTI applications, Dr Jitendra Singh appealed to the applicants to check before filing the application, whether or not the desired information is already existing in the public domain. 

The Minister lauded CIC for achieving consistent decline in pendency with corresponding rise in disposal of the Right to Information (RTI) appeals.

Chief Information Commissioner, Y. K. Sinha, in his address, said that the level of transparency and accountability of the government have increased through RTI. He said that it has also led to controlling the corrupt practices in the system.

Chief Information Commissioners of States and Union Territories and other officials of the CIC were also present during the event.