AGARTALA, July 19 (TIWN): Ten years after the Right to Information Act was passed by the Rajya Sabha on May 12, 2005, its implementation remains inefficient and transparency and accountability seem to be under threat.

According to report, from August 2014 till January 2015,1274 people  wanted   information from various departments. However, information was given to 1132 people within the schedule time whereas 48 people did not get any information from 22 – government departments. 

The departments are – finance, agriculture, school education, industries, DM office Unakoti, administrative reforms, TPSC, forest, social welfare and social education, TFDC, Urban development, SC and OBC welfare, DFO Ambassa, PWD (DWS), Higher Education, CEO-Indo – German project, TBSE,TSECL, DMwestTripura,Medical College and Health department.  

Experts cite poor record-keeping practices within the bureaucracy, lack of infrastructure and staff for running Information Commissions, and dilution of supplementary laws such as the one for whistleblower protection as reasons for this. The problems posed by missing files in government offices. “The information sought by citizens can be provided only if the records are maintained properly. If the RTI has to succeed, then the Public Records Act must be implemented,” said an official of  administrative reforms (AR) requesting anonymity .

The basic object of the Right to Information Act is to empower the citizens, promote transparency and accountability in the working of the Government, contain corruption, and make our democracy work for the people in real sense. It goes without saying that an informed citizen is better equipped to keep necessary vigil on the instruments of governance and make the government more accountable to the governed. The Act is a big step towards making the citizens informed about the activities of the Government.