Former Information Commissioners and RTI activists say that former Prime Minister Dr. Dr. who started the era of transparency, accountability and democracy in administration by implementing the Right to Information Act. Manmohan Singh was certainly ‘in a state of uncertainty’ about the impact of the RTI Act on government functioning, but he was also fully committed to the idea of ’accountability and transparency’.
Dr. who has been Prime Minister twice. Manmohan Singh was laid to rest on Thursday night. The central government has announced seven days of national mourning on his death and his cremation will be done on Saturday. died He was 92 years old. He was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi on Thursday evening after his health deteriorated.
Dr. The Manmohan Singh-led government introduced the Right to Information (RTI) Act in 2005. This act gave citizens the right to get information from the government by paying 10 rupees, with which the decades-long secrecy and secrecy in government work was largely eliminated.
The country’s first Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah told News-Patiala, “They told me that they were a bit uncertain about the impact of RTI on government functioning. He was a true bureaucrat, who understood the importance of secrecy in government. So they were a bit concerned, but also committed to the idea of accountability and transparency.”
He said that Dr. Manmohan Singh was convinced that the Central Information Commission (CIC) should be headed by someone from the civil service because he would understand the workings of the government and know what kind of information to divulge. Can and what type of information should be withheld. Habibullah said there was both agreement and disagreement, but the former prime minister prioritized accountability and transparency.
Similarly, bureaucrat-turned-activist Aruna Roy, who was one of the key figures in shaping the RTI Act, said that the law would probably be considered one of the most important laws because it fundamentally changed citizens’ relationship with the government. has brought change. He said, “Dr. During our discussions with Manmohan Singh on several bills, including RTI, he has always been adamant that he is committed to ushering in an era of transparency in India.” He also said that his opinion was somewhat different regarding the provision of fines etc. to the officials who did not give information, because they thought that this law was actually enough to break the line and by giving punishments, unnecessary pressure was put on the officials. will have to face
The Prime Minister’s Office had the best tenure in responding to RTI applications. He said, “His government started a social audit of MNREGA and they knew that transparency is very important for more effective performance of laws related to broad social sector like Employment Guarantee Act, Food Security Act, Right to Education and Forest Rights Act. .”
“There is no doubt that these landmark laws have empowered citizens to get their rights through transparency and RTI,” he said. He said that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government has ensured consultation by passing a strong RTI Act, ushering in a new era.
Former Information Commissioner and RTI activist Shailesh Gandhi said, “Dr. Manmohan Singh has done a great job by bringing the RTI Act. We will always be grateful to Manmohan Singh for bringing one of the best acts in the world.” Famous RTI activist Venkatesh Naik said that this act Dr. It was passed and implemented during Manmohan Singh’s first term as Prime Minister, although he reportedly had some concerns about its passage and impact. -News-Patiala
