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Good Governance and RTI Activists

 

Good Governance and RTI Activists

-Dr. Lalit Kumar Setia

Mobile Governance – A New Revolution

If a citizen wants to know the nearest police station, he can just go to google for finding it out. The birth certificate is being tracked using online applications and messages on mobile. The farmers are getting information of the status of availability of fertilizers with its location, on mobile using SMS. If the electricity bill is required to be paid, no need to go anywhere, just use an app and pay it, the receipt is also provided on the spot.

If a person applied for a license or there is a need to receive the RC of vehicles, the SMS alerts are making the work easier. The apps are also making it easier to lodge complaints and track the status of complaints. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the doses are well managed with the help of registration in mobile apps and tracking of stocks of the vaccines in the easiest way. The mobile alerts are used to aware the citizens of various services, the status of complaints, tracking of orders making work convenient and easy. This is really good governance using mobile phones known as mGovernance.

Easy Way to Good Governance

No Complex procedures to follow, hassle-free mechanisms using web portals and mobile apps, single window system is facilitated using information technology. The potential of technology makes life easier. The e-Governance initiatives of Government in India, in almost all states and districts of the country making things possible to implement instead of large population and geographical areas. We are more connected with greater coverage of networks, the revolution of telecom changed the lives of millions.

Cost-effective working

The operations of bringing good governance are not only easier but also cost-effective and 24 hours x 7 days, it is possible to use the services now. With parameters of efficiency and transparency in delivering the services, the work of accessing land records is possible today which was never so easier earlier.

Boost in Primary Sectors of Economy  

The agricultural functions of farmers are improved a lot. The children in the villages are smarter and help parents and grandparents to perform the agricultural activities with knowledge of weather, soil type, availability of fertilizers and seeds, and also schemes of the Government to facilitate the agricultural operations.

Students life changed drastically

Gone are the days, when students were using the books for photocopying the material. Now everything is available in the form of eBooks and can easily be accessed by zooming the text on computers and mobiles. The job applications are processed online and the examinations and tests are also attempted in the online form. The apps are maintained by each government and private college to facilitate the students. The status of certificates, the marks obtained, and call letters for interviews, everything is coming without postage. Electronic means changed the whole life of students.

e-Payments promoting Governance

The registration fee, bills of utilities, payment of each payee using RTGS, IMPS, and mobile apps of the third party, etc. promotes the Governance with the help of e-payments.

Emergency Services using Mobiles

The apps also transformed the emergency services, the rescue calls to the police, hospitals, and others is easier with the use of mobiles. Just one number for the particular service changed the way of living with confidence. The women security by dialing 1091 and the WhatsApp messages in groups and broadband messages improved the lifestyle of people.

Why RTI Activists are facing problems?

On the other hand, the Right to Information (RTI) act which is considered an effective tool for realizing information, is being misused most of the time. The public interest sometimes becomes hard in realizing the desired information because it is difficult to differentiate between a real information seeker and a fake information misuser.

Problems to PIOs and Applicants

The public information officers (PIOs) face various difficulties in determining whether the demanded information should be provided under the RTI act or not. The applicants are also feel harassed when desired information is not provided within the stipulated time of the RTI Act. The key objective of RTI i.e. to promote transparency and accountability; is not perfectly achieved due to various reasons including wrong intentions of applicants as well as public information officers. The role of appellate authorities and information commissioners has also been affected in the case of disclosing information related to big scams. In Haryana, now it is mandatory to provide identity proof with the RTI application so that only genuine information seekers seek information using the RTI act.

RTI Activists are dying

The news of 16th February 2021 was shocking which intimated that at least 16 activists were killed and 36 cases of assault have been recorded (https://thewire.in/rights/maharashtra-dubious-distinction-highest-attacks-rti-activists-chri-report). The attacks on RTI activists, are giving signals to take initiatives for safeguarding the citizens seeking RTI information relating to frauds and embezzlements. On 24th February 2021 when Sh. Premnath Jha was riding to his home in Mumbai, several bullets were fired at him from a revolver (https://scroll.in/article/987740/as-attacks-on-rti-applicants-continue-authorities-do-little-to-bring-perpetrators-to-justice). In Bihar, Sh. Bipin Agrawal was shot by unidentified assailants on a motorcycle just because he sought details on Government land encroachment. (https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bihar-rti-activist-sought-details-on-government-land-encroachment-shot-dead-7531686/). Only 1-2 cases referred, for example, there are hundreds of cases, can be explored by google search engine. About 20 RTI activists were killed in Bihar over the past decade. (https://indianexpress.com/article/india/bihar-rti-activist-sought-details-on-government-land-encroachment-shot-dead-7531686/). 

*Copyright © 2021 Dr. Lalit Kumar. All rights reserved. 

This article is written by Dr. Lalit Kumar Setia; a renowned author and trainer. He completed his Doctorate in Commerce from Kurukshetra University Kurukshetra and MBA in Information Technology from GJU, Hisar. He also wrote two books, 15 research papers, and organized more than 200 Training Courses during his working period since 2006 in Haryana Institute of Public Administration, Gurugram. The article was firstly published on 3rd November 2021 and last updated on 3rd November 2021. The writer can be contacted on lalitkumarsetia@gmail.com 

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