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Media, Civil Society and RTI CIC, 3 rd Annual Convention 3 – 4, November 2008, New Delhi Presented by Dr N Bhaskara Rao, Chairman CMS. Email : [email protected] , [email protected] ; Website : www.cmsindia.org. CMS Transparency Unit. Ongoing studies on RTI Governance issue based studies - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Media, Civil Society and RTI
CIC, 3rd Annual Convention3 – 4, November 2008, New Delhi
Presented by Dr N Bhaskara Rao, Chairman CMS
Email : [email protected], [email protected] ; Website : www.cmsindia.org
2
CMS Transparency Unit
Ongoing studies on RTI
Governance issue based studies
Advocacy with stakeholders – media, civil society, policy makes,
implementers, etc
Capacity building across
RTI campaigns
Corruption studies –citizen
3
CMS-Good governance
Citizens charter 1993
Social Audit 1993-98
Transparency studies
Transparency Review
Right to Information specific contexts
Tracking news media
Citizens & corruption surveys
Capacity building among Civil Society groups
RTI implementation / effectiveness – 2008 survey among BPL hh
4
CMS India Corruption Surveys
Unique methodology – P+E+E
2001 Vigilance week of CVC
2002 Metros corruption & citizen
2003 Cities
2004 Urban India
2005 Urban-Rural; PEE; HH+Users;
2007 With focus on RTI/ IT use
2008 paying for votes
5
Awareness about RTI Act among BPL hh – (2008)
State BPL hh
(%)
State BPL
hh (%)
Andhra Pradesh 13.0 Maharashtra 6.9
Arunachal Pradesh 4.5 Manipur 13.0
Assam 10.3 Meghalaya 0.6
Bihar 1.4 Mizoram 12.0
Chhattisgarh 4.1 Nagaland 14.1
Delhi 5.0 Orissa 3.8
Goa 1.2 Pondicherry 8.0
Gujarat 4.4 Punjab 2.7
Haryana 2.7 Rajasthan 5.7
Himachal Pradesh 2.9 Sikkim 2.7
Jammu & Kashmir 4.5 Tamil Nadu 6.7
Jharkhand 5.0 Tripura 0.5
Karnataka 12.8 Uttar Pradesh 1.4
Kerala 10.7 Uttarakhand 8.4
Madhya Pradesh 4.9 West Bengal 1.4
Source : CMS
6
RTI Act & Citizen Charters (2008)
(percent)
RTI Act Citizen Charter
Heard about 10 6
Also knew about it 6.7 2.5
BPL hh
Source : CMS
7
Sources for Awareness about RTIAct among BPL hh (2008)
Source In Percent
Newspaper 32
Television 21
Friends/ Campaign 26
Radio 9
Government 9
Politicia n/elected representatives 1
Source : CMS
8
Percent of those aware who had applied under RTI Act (2008)
(BPL households)
State BPL households State BPL households
Andhra Pradesh 1.0 Mizoram 0.2
Arunachal Pradesh 0.2 Madhya Pradesh 0.3
Assam 0.2 Nagaland 0.4
Biha r 0.1 Orissa 0.2
Chhattisgarh 0.8 Pondicherry 0.2
Delhi 0.1 Punjab 0.3
Gujarat 1.5 Rajasthan 0.6
Haryana 0.3 Sikkim 0.2
Karnataka 0.4 Tamil Nadu 0.2
Kerala 0.6 Uttarakhand 0.1
Maharashtra 0.1 West Bengal 0.8
Source : CMS
9
Services for which applied for
States
Hospital Services Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh
PDS Chattisgarh, Guajart, Kerala, Rajasthan, Orissa, Andhra Pradesh
Education Chattisgarh, Gujarat
NREGS Chattisgarh, Gujarat, Rajasthan
Banking Services Gujarat, Punjab
Services
Source : CMS
10
Summing up
Yes, number of applications increased, not so the applicants
Yes, rural applications have increased marginally,
Yes, more “disposed”, few responded
Yes, awareness increased, but how to go about is limited
Too few women applicants and female centric issues
More applications were for selfish end/grievance
Relatively more use where ever civil society was active.
Even more where there was collaboration with news media.
11
So far…RTI is availed by
Mostly by men
Mostly by those in powers
Mostly by those in metros
More for personal reasons
More for service matters
More by the same
More for individual grievance
12
Why hesitation?
Doubts/ despair about implementation continues
Centre / State Governments yet to promote the Act
Political parties / leaders, too, have not yet
Commissions also, not going beyond press meets / civil society
interactivity
Contempt of SICs towards civil society groups
Even more disappointing is academics – at all levels
13
The best bet to consolidate RTI and take forward
Active citizenry, individually and groups
Civil Society activism
Pro-active News media
Civil Society + News media work together
Includes academics / educational stream
Independent ongoing tracking in districts
Beyond awareness; Write back, talk back
Together with social audit, citizen charter
14
An Opportunity to news media
Enhances credibility
Helps go beyond, substantial reporting
Scoops, scandals; and leads for follow up
Irrespective of seniority in journalism
RTI route as good or better than sting
Pro-active coverage, revelations, redressal, systemic
Easier, no costs – all that needed is concern
Regular features, not just reporting judgments of Commissions
15
Networks of Civil Society
A far more effective theme for sustained community service
A better route for redressal too
Networking civil society / voluntary groups for reinforced
Rope in research input academic support for focus, effect
Clearing house responsibility – judgments, appeals,etc
16
Information Commissions
Proactive initiatives - reach out, enforce
Next round of Commissioners
One civil society activist in each
Periodic open house sessions – regionally
More serious concern for suo-moto disclosure
Partner with news media/ civil society groups
Recommendations to State Government about implementation?
Comprehensiveness of annual reports.
17
Issues of Good Governance?Expected Outcomes of RTI
Transparency in public offices/services
Responsibility/ accountability and more Responsive Govt. offices
A more decentralized governance
Decline in Corruption involving citizen and at other levels
Participative citizens – willing with feed back/ complaints, suggestions.
Ease in seeking and efficiency in the delivery of public services
18
Challenges for 4th Year
Seriousness of Governments
Promotion,
prompt response,
More individual – depend response
Suo-moto initiatives – computerization – networks
Active involvement of academic world, sustained role of political parties
News media coverage - follow up & partnership
More revelations, not redressal
Discussion in Assemblies of annual reports
We need more indicative criteria for implementation
The figures being put out by Commissions be made reflective
19
Research Issues :Effects / What Difference RTI has Made
Tracking its use – who, where, what, when, how
Who is taking advantage of the Act, what difference it is making
Which section is benefiting or for whose advantage
Activating – the poor, the far off ones,
Better efficiency of targeted schemes, utilization of allocations
Mind set of service providers, PIOs,
Implementation of various (dormant) laws
Credibility of bureaucracy, decline in work loads, delays, etc.
Let us make RTI a turning point and also a tipping point…
21
Thank you…