Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Dec 5: Speaking to a deputation of “Right to Information Assessment & Advocacy Group”, an organization of RTI Activists, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh today said that Government is committed to ensure transparency in governance and added that transparency is a part and parcel of the “good governance” concept.
Dr Jitendra Singh said, during the last six months, several important measures have been adopted to make the governance easy and more accountable. In this context, he referred to a recent decision to have a single self-attested affidavit which eliminates the requirement for attestation by gazetted officer, notary or a similar other authority.In addition, all the major Government decisions are now being uploaded on the website,he added.
While there are separate cells or divisions to handle RTI complaints in different departments of Central Government, said Dr Jitendra Singh, the State Governments are also being encouraged to adopt the RTI Act in its most effective form.
Under the provision of “Public Interest Disclosure and Protection of Informer” also, Dr Jitendra Singh said, the present Government seriously follows all the complaints and at the same time also ensures confidentiality about the identity of the person who has made the complaint so that he does not face any potential threat or pressure from any quarter.
The leaders of the deputation pointed out to Dr Jitendra Singh some of the issues which, according to them, require attention of the Government. These included huge backlog of complaints and appeals in Information Commissions, poor implementation of Section-4 of the RTI Act and low level of public awareness about the RTI Law especially in rural areas.
Dr Jitendra Singh gave the deputation a patient hearing and said that while the government is sincere in its endeavor, the efforts of public-spirited activists are also of a great help in such matters. Among those who led the deputation were Anjali Bhardwaj, Amrita Johri and Shekhar Singh.
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