Agencies
Posted online: Mar 20, 2009 at 0041 hrs
Ahmedabad :
The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has recently slammed the Gujarat government on the issue of inadequate Scheduled Tribe representation in various government institutes across the state.
G S Somavat, NCST regional director, Jaipur, had remarked: “Gujarat has a huge backlog of ST vacancies; (this is) the precise reason why the state government has not furnished us the details of the vacancies in spite of following up for the last two years.”
The government would have furnished the details if the NCST had used the Right to Information (RTI) Act, he added.
Consider this: In various RTI replies obtained by the Akhil Gujarat College and University Adivasi Teachers’ Association, concerning the ST seats filled up in six universities across the state, every varsity has reported a major gap in the ST seat fulfillment.
The data was obtained for Bhavnagar University, Hemchandracharya North Gujarat University, Patan; Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar; Vir Narmad University, Surat; Saurashtra University, Rajkot and Gujarat Vidhyapith, Ahmedabad.
Kishore Chaudhari, secretary of the association, said that similar applications under the RTI were filed for Gujarat University, Ahmedabad; M S University, Vadodara; Krantiguru Shayamji Krishna Verma Kutch University and Anand Agricultural University.
“But these (information) were denied either on the pretext of discrepancies in the ‘Roaster Register’ or the non-availability of it,” he added.
The association, which has compiled and published the data in its newsletter Adivasi Chetna (see box), added that even some universities of the six that replied to the RTI applications, furnished only partial data.
“Gujarat Vidhyapith gave the ST seat status only for lecturers, and not for readers and professors,” Chaudhari said.
The association has submitted these figures to the NCST as well and had apprised Somavat of the situation prevailing in Gujarat, on his last visit to Ahmedabad, with regard to the ST reservation, officials added.
Monday, March 23, 2009
‘RTI on Wheels’ completes one year of mobility
Nidhi Shendurnikar
Posted online: Mar 19, 2009 at 0003 hrs
Ahmedabad : ‘RTI on Wheels’, a state-of-the-art mobile van, which was jointly launched last year by the Gujarat State Information Commission, Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA) and Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel (MAGP), completed one year of its existence in the state on March 17.
MAGP had organised outreach programs in the Civil Hospital and Azadnagar Talawadi to mark the occasion.
‘RTI on Wheels,’ which was specifically designed for capacity building and awareness generation with regard to the Act, is equipped with audio-visual equipment as well as the Internet, and has trained volunteers to solve the queries of people. Apart from video shows and discussions in the field, the mobile van has also acted as a mobile legal clinic in order to help people draft applications, appeals and complaints.
Besides this, the RTI helpline that was started in 2006 has listed an increase in the number of national calls. While 90% of the calls are from Gujarat, 10% are from other states. Out of a total of 34,071 calls, 20% of the calls are from PIO’s and Appellate Authorities. The average number of calls per day comes to around 50. The helpline has witnessed an increase in the number of calls from 7,985 in 2006 to 13,255 in 2007 to 12,831 in 2008.
Pankti Jog, a co-ordinator with MAGP, said: “We have a team of trained volunteers who guide people on queries about RTI. Our core team of volunteers consists of people who used to come to our organisation seeking RTI to address their issues. When queries cannot be solved through phone, we hold the Saturday Legal Clinic from 4 pm to 6 pm every Saturday, where a team of resource persons attends to the queries voluntarily. The clinic has attended 312 cases till date.”
Kantibhai Prajapati, a resident of Azadnagar Talawadi, said: “We had approached the chief minister, the municipal commissioner and even the Health department with issues such as bad roads, lack of street lights, poor condition of drainage lines. We have managed to file 82 applications on behalf of the entire locality in a span of two days and believe that RTI will help us resolve our basic issues.”
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rti-on-wheels-completes-one-year-of-mobility/436254/
Posted online: Mar 19, 2009 at 0003 hrs
Ahmedabad : ‘RTI on Wheels’, a state-of-the-art mobile van, which was jointly launched last year by the Gujarat State Information Commission, Sardar Patel Institute of Public Administration (SPIPA) and Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel (MAGP), completed one year of its existence in the state on March 17.
MAGP had organised outreach programs in the Civil Hospital and Azadnagar Talawadi to mark the occasion.
‘RTI on Wheels,’ which was specifically designed for capacity building and awareness generation with regard to the Act, is equipped with audio-visual equipment as well as the Internet, and has trained volunteers to solve the queries of people. Apart from video shows and discussions in the field, the mobile van has also acted as a mobile legal clinic in order to help people draft applications, appeals and complaints.
Besides this, the RTI helpline that was started in 2006 has listed an increase in the number of national calls. While 90% of the calls are from Gujarat, 10% are from other states. Out of a total of 34,071 calls, 20% of the calls are from PIO’s and Appellate Authorities. The average number of calls per day comes to around 50. The helpline has witnessed an increase in the number of calls from 7,985 in 2006 to 13,255 in 2007 to 12,831 in 2008.
Pankti Jog, a co-ordinator with MAGP, said: “We have a team of trained volunteers who guide people on queries about RTI. Our core team of volunteers consists of people who used to come to our organisation seeking RTI to address their issues. When queries cannot be solved through phone, we hold the Saturday Legal Clinic from 4 pm to 6 pm every Saturday, where a team of resource persons attends to the queries voluntarily. The clinic has attended 312 cases till date.”
Kantibhai Prajapati, a resident of Azadnagar Talawadi, said: “We had approached the chief minister, the municipal commissioner and even the Health department with issues such as bad roads, lack of street lights, poor condition of drainage lines. We have managed to file 82 applications on behalf of the entire locality in a span of two days and believe that RTI will help us resolve our basic issues.”
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rti-on-wheels-completes-one-year-of-mobility/436254/
RTI on Wheels is out to spread awareness
Saturday, September 27, 2008 3:11:00 AM
Priya Ramakrishnan
It has been more than three years since the Right to Information Act (RTI) was passed by the Parliament. However, there are many who still aren’t aware of the Sunshine Act.
In an effort to empower the citizens and to encourage them to avail the benefits of RTI, Public Concern for Governance Trust (PCGT) and Gujarat Mahiti Adhikar Pehel, an NGO, have launched a unique initiatives in the city — an RTI helpline (9322882288) and the RTI on Wheels.
“RTI is an important tool which the people can use to fight corruption and ensure transparency. Our aim is to make the common man realise that he too has a right to question the government,” said Julio Ribeiro, executive chairman of PCGT.
He added, “Since many people aren’t sure of how to go about filing an RTI, they can call on the helpline for assistance. The van will be touring different parts of Maharashtra and will teach people to file an RTI. It will be in Mumbai on September 29 and 30.”
The state-of-the-art mobile van is equipped with an LCD projector, computer with internet connection, a scanner, printer and a small library.
Manned by two volunteers, the van will screen films on RTI, distribute pamphlets, hold public discussions as well as assist people to file their applications.
Ribeiro said that the RTI van will visit areas from which they receive the maximum number of calls on the helpline.
“The van has reached out to more than 80,000 people in various parts of Gujarat. It will do similar activities and help spread awareness about the act across Maharashtra,” he added.
In an attempt to create awareness about the act, PCGT has been conducting workshops and RTI camps at schools, colleges, corporate houses, railway stations, etc.
Priya Ramakrishnan
It has been more than three years since the Right to Information Act (RTI) was passed by the Parliament. However, there are many who still aren’t aware of the Sunshine Act.
In an effort to empower the citizens and to encourage them to avail the benefits of RTI, Public Concern for Governance Trust (PCGT) and Gujarat Mahiti Adhikar Pehel, an NGO, have launched a unique initiatives in the city — an RTI helpline (9322882288) and the RTI on Wheels.
“RTI is an important tool which the people can use to fight corruption and ensure transparency. Our aim is to make the common man realise that he too has a right to question the government,” said Julio Ribeiro, executive chairman of PCGT.
He added, “Since many people aren’t sure of how to go about filing an RTI, they can call on the helpline for assistance. The van will be touring different parts of Maharashtra and will teach people to file an RTI. It will be in Mumbai on September 29 and 30.”
The state-of-the-art mobile van is equipped with an LCD projector, computer with internet connection, a scanner, printer and a small library.
Manned by two volunteers, the van will screen films on RTI, distribute pamphlets, hold public discussions as well as assist people to file their applications.
Ribeiro said that the RTI van will visit areas from which they receive the maximum number of calls on the helpline.
“The van has reached out to more than 80,000 people in various parts of Gujarat. It will do similar activities and help spread awareness about the act across Maharashtra,” he added.
In an attempt to create awareness about the act, PCGT has been conducting workshops and RTI camps at schools, colleges, corporate houses, railway stations, etc.
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