ITANAGAR, 6 Oct: The Arunachal Pradesh Information Commission (APIC), in collaboration with the political science department and the Internal Quality Assurance Cell of Dera Natung Government College (DNGC), organized a workshop themed ‘Empowering citizens through the Right to Information’ on 6 October to commemorate RTI Week and raise awareness about the RTI Act and its impact on governance.
State Information Commissioner Vijay Taram lauded the student turnout and engagement. He said that the RTI Act was instituted to promote transparency and accountability in governance. Taram elaborated on the RTI filing process, the responsibilities of public information officers, and the importance of using the Act responsibly for the greater public good, rather than for personal or frivolous motives.
DNGC Chemistry HoD Dr BK Mishra highlighted the four pillars of the RTI Act – transparency, accountability, participation, and legitimacy – noting that public participation is crucial to making RTI a more effective and dynamic tool.
APIC Registrar Maman Padung provided insights into the international evolution of RTI and acknowledged the contributions of organizations and social activists like Aruna Roy, whose efforts were instrumental in the implementation of the RTI Act in India.
DNGC Political Science HoD Dr Suparna Bhatacharjee encouraged students to engage in such platforms as they provide an opportunity to broaden their understanding beyond classroom learning and enable them to gain insights into the functioning of governance.
The workshop featured two technical sessions. The first session, titled ‘Rights of citizens under RTI and obligations of public authorities’, was conducted by Odi Menjo. The second session, led by Bokin Lego, focused on the procedural aspects of filing an RTI application, including format, fee structure, modes of submission, timelines for response, and the appeals process.
An essay writing competition was also conducted on the topic ‘The impact of the RTI Act on transparency and accountability in governance’.
Deputy Registrar Priscilla Tayeng also spoke.
The workshop saw enthusiastic participation of faculty members and students from various departments.
