Times of India: Visakhapatnam:
Sunday, January 26, 2014.
An informed
citizenry is essential in a democracy and in this connection the Right to
Information (RTI) Act is the most potent tool, said Prof K Ram Mohan,
registrar, Andhra University, at a workshop jointly organised by the Centre for
Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy and the Durgabai Deshmukh Centre
for Women's Studies here on Saturday.
Such
sensitization programmes on RTI for self-help groups would play a major role in
empowering citizens, said Prof Mohan.
P Subba Rao,
director of the Centre for Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, AU,
noted that the RTI Act would not only provide citizens much needed information
but also go a long way in empowering them. Rao gave the example of the
successful anti-arrack movement in Andhra Pradesh and pointed out that this
would not have been possible without people having access to information.
Rao also told
the representatives of various self-help groups present how to access
information by using the RTI Act and gave them a procedural demonstration.
Prof B Ratna
Kumari of the Durgabai Deshmukh Centre for Women's Studies noted that RTI was
an important tool that could be used to help in the emancipation of women. She
also elaborated on how to seek information and from whom, as well as on nature
and disposition of the information sought.
Prof Y
Satyanarayana, director, Gitam Law School, who was the guest of honour,
observed that one could gauge the importance of the RTI Act by looking at the
benefits derived. He added that law aimed at ensuring accountability and
transparency with public interest in mind. Shirin Rehman of Chaitanya
Shravanthi agreed with Prof Satyanarayana and egged on the participants to quiz
the experts. "For the RTI to help you, you must come forward to seek
information," said Rehman.
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