LETTER TO CHIEF MINISTER CHHATTISGADH ON RTI FEE ISSUE

To,                                                                                              

Dr. Raman Singh,

Chief Minister of Chattisgardh

Govt of Chattisgadh

Raipur

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Sub: Request to reduce excessive RTI application feesand charges per page.

Sir,

With great concern, we at Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel, from Gujarat are writing this letter regarding the RTI fee hike recently done in Chattisgarh.

 Sir, RTI act has proved to be very effective tool in the hands of citizen. You will agree with the fact that in last six years, common citizen of this country have been benefited because of this act. There various cases across India and in Chattisgardh itself where in “Janane Ka Adhikar” has proved to be “Jine Ka Adhikar” and citizen have actually got their ration from ration shops after filing RTI application for getting stocks of ration supplied by the government under PDS. Thousands have got their due payments under MGNREGA after mere filing RTI applications to seek muster roll copy, payment and measurement register.

In Gujarat, MAGP is focusing on taking RTI to the last person in the row, who might have denied of her/his basic rights of food, shelter, and livelihood till date. We have seen that RTI is actually building hope amongst people at grass roots, bringing them close to the government, making them participate in planning, implementation, monitoring and policy change (which for all these years merely remained symbolic in our programmes)… RTI is actually repairing our democracy…and undoubtedly.  …day by day it is getting stronger.

 In this context and at this juncture, raising RTI application fees, and RTI per page cost to Rs.500 and Rs.15 in Chattisgardh has harmed the very spirit of the RTI Act. This will:

• Discourage citizens to file RTI
• Will lead to misuse of BPL card for seeking info
• Will give message to system that government is against RTI and in turn against transparency.
• Will promote corruption and mal practices.

 We request you to immediately reduce the fees, both RTI application and charges per page which is against the spirit of the act.

Hoping for favourable act form your office at the earliest and with regards,

Pankti Jog -09909006791

Executive Secretary

Mahiti Adhikar Gujarat Pahel  (MAGP)