07-11-2006, 05:49 AM
<!--emo&:cool--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/specool.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='specool.gif' /><!--endemo--> Volunteers educate villagers on using RTI
- Sidharth Pandey
Monday, July 10, 2006 (New Delhi):
Over 16,000 Indians have pledged never to pay a bribe again as the national anti-bribery campaign enters its eighth day.
Thousands more have successfully used the RTI or the Right to Information Law to get their due without having to pay a bribe.
"In my village there is a government scheme under which poor people get grains at very low cost," said one participant.
"I noticed that this scheme was being misused by some influential people in the village," added another.
Yet another person who took part in the anti-bribe campaign filed an RTI against these people at the BDO and he got all the related information within eight days.
"According to the information, I found out that these people were indeed misusing the government scheme for their benefit. It has been my endeavour to educate villagers about the RTI Act," said an RTI volunteer.
"I have told them that RTI is a tool that empowers and helps us in the fight against bribery," he added.
Application procedure
To file an RTI application, there is no pre-designed form for Central government department, while state government have their own format.
On any white sheet of paper, address the letter to the Public Information Officer of the government department that you want information from.
State the information that you want. You do not have to give a reason for wanting the information.
Different states have their own prescribed fees. For Central Government Departments, the application fee is Rs 10. Different states have their own prescribed fees.
You can also post the application. It is incumbent upon the department to reply within 30 days.
- Sidharth Pandey
Monday, July 10, 2006 (New Delhi):
Over 16,000 Indians have pledged never to pay a bribe again as the national anti-bribery campaign enters its eighth day.
Thousands more have successfully used the RTI or the Right to Information Law to get their due without having to pay a bribe.
"In my village there is a government scheme under which poor people get grains at very low cost," said one participant.
"I noticed that this scheme was being misused by some influential people in the village," added another.
Yet another person who took part in the anti-bribe campaign filed an RTI against these people at the BDO and he got all the related information within eight days.
"According to the information, I found out that these people were indeed misusing the government scheme for their benefit. It has been my endeavour to educate villagers about the RTI Act," said an RTI volunteer.
"I have told them that RTI is a tool that empowers and helps us in the fight against bribery," he added.
Application procedure
To file an RTI application, there is no pre-designed form for Central government department, while state government have their own format.
On any white sheet of paper, address the letter to the Public Information Officer of the government department that you want information from.
State the information that you want. You do not have to give a reason for wanting the information.
Different states have their own prescribed fees. For Central Government Departments, the application fee is Rs 10. Different states have their own prescribed fees.
You can also post the application. It is incumbent upon the department to reply within 30 days.