No compiled data on Right to Information (RTI) applications since 2012-13, nine out of 10 State Information Commissioner positions yet to be filled, 55 vacant staff posts out of 74 sanctioned staff strength as on September end with only 15 out of 41 existing staff on permanent basis and merely over 21,000 RTI applications between 2005-06 and 2013-14 is the real picture of status of RTI in a State like Jharkhand which claims to have transformed way of governance in last three years.
In a first ever compiled data on the status of RTI in states released by Transparency International India (TII), Jharkhand did manage performing not as bad as States like Uttar Pradesh which came with no compiled data so far at all or Manipur which rested at the bottom among those having at least one case, but it was not appreciable keeping transparency on the matter in states like Maharashtra where as many as around 55 lakh RTI applications were filed during 2005-16.
“But real issue is something different. States like Jharkhand appear to have bothered least to entertain RTI applications at one hand, and remained unwilling to invest in spreading awareness towards uses of RTI which actually appeared one of the finest weapons to fight against corruption in many states. Yearly Status Report on RTI is mandatory from States, but Jharkhand has not been able to compile any such data since 2012-13 due to one reason or the other,” said TII Executive Director Rama Nath Jha on Friday on the sidelines of Seminar on Status of RTI in Jharkhand organised by Jharkhand Centre of TII in FJCCI Bhawan.
The event felicitated over two dozen RTI activists from different districts of State apart from felicitation of media fellows and social activists who apparently left an impression in society with their works on the topic. Jharkhand High Court former Judge Justice RK Merathia, State Information Commissioner Himanshu Shekhar Chaudhary, TII Jharkhand President Balram, Secretary Vishnu Rajgadia, Treasurer AK Jain, Vinoba Bhave University Vice Chancellor Pro Ramesh Sharan and many others were present on the occasion of releasing TII report on RTI in Jharkhand.
Balram stressed upon necessity of transparency at governance level and said that this was due to RTI that cases of people being kept away from food in the name of missing Aadhaar in the State could be unearthed.
“I believe that democratically elected governments must release yearly transparency report of their own, and we have only few transparent state governments on that parameter,” said Balram.
RTI activists expressed concern over efforts of their suppression in many districts in the State. Jain said that the poor number of RTI applications in the State and their poorer dispensation was not at all encouraging, keeping in mind that the applicants didn’t come from weaker sections of society.