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Prime Minister at formal inauguration of new CIC-building

Kashmir Times. Dated: 3/16/2018 11:02:08 AM

Dear Editor,
It refers to Prime Minister addressing the restricted gathering on occasion of formal inauguration of new CIC-building on 06.03.2018 in New Delhi. Prime Minister repeated his earlier speech at annual CIC-convention on 16.10.2015 wherein he required authorities to deeply go through sense behind RTI applications even after their disposal as per provisions of RTI Act. Majority of RTI applications reaching before Central Information Commission (CIC) require request for redressal of grievances, even though RTI is not directly any provision for this. However Commissioners at CIC try to help by asking authorities appearing before them to help the petitioners otherwise. Best is to legislate Citizens Right to Grievance Redress Bill, 2011.
Prime Minister also talked about ‘transparent’ mechanism for Padma awards by his government because of RTI applications filed usually in earlier regime. Though it is correct that now people from ordinary grass-root level from remote areas of country are being honoured with Padma awards rather than elite rich mostly from Delhi, yet it is unfortunate that these awards are now being given without thorough investigations by intelligence authorities. Media-reports confirm about several undesired persons honoured with Padma awards who were even denied the honours in earlier years on basis of inputs provided by intelligence authorities despite being recommended by Awards Committee. Prime Minister should ask authorities to discuss on Padma awards with petitioner having taken up Padma awards through RTI applications in earlier UPA regime.
However it is unfortunate that RTI-users were totally kept out of the inaugural-function. At least some representation could be given to some selected known RTI petitioners to get a unique opportunity to chat personally with Prime Minister in the manner Prime Minister had personal interaction with individual Commissioners on the occasion.
—Subhash Chandra Agrawal,
1775 Kucha Lattushah
Dariba, Chandni Chowk, Delhi.