Good Governance and RTI Activists
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.
