Tata Steel teams up with Orissa Information Commission on RTI awareness

BHUBANESWAR: In an innovative initiative, Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) has begun empowering the communities through awareness on the Right to Information Act (RTI) at the grass root level under the direct guidance of Orissa Information Commission.

TSRDS is the flag bearer of Tata Steel���s community initiatives.

Lauding the maiden move by a corporate house, State Information Commissioner, Jagadanand on Saturday said, ���This initiative of creating RTI awareness at the village level by TSRDS will take the highest principles of Corporate Social Responsibility to the next level and stand as both example and inspiration for the Corporate Sector in India���.

Mr Jagadanand was launching this RTI awareness campaign in a Mega Health Camp organized by Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) in Rangamatia village in Sukinda block of Jajpur district of Orissa. ���Tata Steel is synonymous with exemplary values and practices in corporate social responsibility in global corporate environment,��� he added.

The first phase the campaign will focus in the villages of Jajpur and Keonjhar district and the first phase initiative by Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS) will include

RTI awareness through its Community initiatives, inclusion on RTI training in its training programs, multimedia campaigns through TV, Radio and facilitate for development and dissemination of IEC materials to support Citizen���s initiative on RTI

These initiatives shall be audited jointly by TSRDS and Information Commission to plan for more focused and spread out approach during end of 2009-10.

Speaking on the occasion, Tata Steel vice president (Orissa Project), B K Singh said, ���This initiative of RTI awareness at the ground level under the guidance of Orissa Information Commission will facilitate in creating more knowledgeable and empowered community for sustainable development���.

Tata Steel has taken initiatives to help 25,000 families in 500 villages of Orissa besides playing a key role in empowering the communities through capacity building and continuous training.