'Corruption has eaten into our social norms'

TNN, Feb 18, 2011,

AJMER: Corruption has eaten deep into the social norms of the country and the only way to eradicate it is to change the present cultural set up, CIC M L Sharma said here on Thursday.

He said though the Right to Information Act has struck fear in the beauracracy, its impact is missed in the upper policy making level.

Sharma was addressing a seminar at the Press Club organised by the Citizen Council Ajmer on the topic Role of RTI in rooting out corruption and its unfair means'. He claimed that Rajasthan is still forward in providing information to its citizens in comparison with other states. The state's bureaucracy and politicians feared RTI but people including in the national capital are not following the guidelines of the Act. "Even in Delhi, people are not following the guidelines of RTI especially in cases concerning the Delhi Development Authority and we have to pursue it harder" Sharma said.
The CIC further said the RTI Act definitely brought awareness among people and controlled corruption but citizens have to understand their responsibilities and the demand for frivolous information should be checked.

On the issue of seeking information relating to answer-sheets of examinations, he said, "The candidate has the right to get the information of their answer-sheets and evaluation and the commission earlier has passed the orders in this matter."

Sharma further said the high courts are still taking this Act with difference but sooner or later it will be implementing in the judiciary effectively.

Speaking on the occasion, chief information commissioner of Rajasthan T Shrinivasan emphasised on the need for awareness of RTI Act. "Empowerment of citizens lies in receiving correct information about the policies and programmes of the government.

"Informed citizens would certainly make the democracy stronger," he said but warned against misusing the Act.