Make RTI process easy, a tool to bring transparency: Activists

NEW DELHI: With over 1.98 lakh RTI petitions remain pending in state commissions in last seven year, activists have stressed on the need to make the process to seek information under the Act easy and use it as a tool to bring transparency in development process.

Leading RTI activist Aruna Roy, on the occasion of RTI day today, said that people are unable to gauge the effect and extent of RTI act.

The RTI Act was enacted on October 12 in 2005. "It is being seen as a tool to highlight corruption only. But in fact, it should be seen as an alternative politics for bringing in change in the democracy and solve problems of Indian democracy," Roy told PTI Bhasha.

In the end, it is a tool to frame policies, its effective implementation and to ensure people's participation, she added.

Former Delhi Minister Manish Sisodia, who actively participated in RTI movement, said the process to get information under the transparency act and mentality of the concerned officer in providing information as the hindrance in effective implementation of the Act.

"The officials dilly dally in providing the required information under this Act as they feel that the people who don't have courage to stand before them were now questioning them," he said.

Noted RTI activist Laxmi Narayan Modi said the government has given the RTI Act to the people and made provision to penalise those who violate the law.