3-day RTI convention to be held on July 24 in R’kela

--JVM urges organisers to discuss on safety of RTI activists

BHUBANESWAR: The three-day convention on Right to Information (RTI) scheduled to be started from July 24 in Rourkela organised by the Odisha Soochna Adhikar Abhiyan (OSAA) would focus on effective use of the tool for yielding better result in the coming general election.

Activist Aruna Ray would inaugurate the convention which would address various ways and means of the RTI campaign in the State. Around 500 RTI activists would participate in the convention, said the OSAA convener Pradip Pradhan.  

Janata Vikas Manch (JVM), a supporter of the OSAA, said that the information available on the performance of the political leadership including MPs, MLAs and Ministers is very poor. The RTI activists could use RTI as a tool to dig out all the information related to the MPs, MLAs and the Government so that the common people could know about the activities of their representatives in the State and also in the national level. 

JVM suggested the organisers that the RTI convention to focus on use of RTI in evaluating the performance of MPs and MLAs in the Parliament and The Odisha Assembly respectively. It should also give stress on use of RTI to get information on the use of MP LAD and MLA LAD and funds allocated for the development of SCs and STs in the State.

The convention would also discuss about protection of the RTI activists who are using the tool to dig out information in Odisha. JVM requested the organisers and participants of the convention to focus on the use of RTI in strengthening democratic and electoral process to make the governance effective in the State.