Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla today said the main aim of the Right to Information Act is to empower citizens, bring transparency, rid them of corruption and take democracy to the grassroot level in the country.
Speaking at the 15th Annual Convention of Central Information Commission titled, “Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav: Citizen–centric Governance through RTI” here, he said the effective use of the RTI will help in building a developed and corruption-free India, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Addressing the meet, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said that ever since Modi took over as Prime Minister in 2014, transparency, accountability and citizen-centricity have become the hallmark of the governance model in the country. He said that in the last over eight years, every conscious decision was taken to strengthen the independence and resources of the Information Commission.
The minister noted that empowered citizens are an important pillar of democracy and the Central Information Commission will continue to work for empowering the people through information.
Jitendra Singh said the RTI Act is not a standalone law but is part of the larger narrative of strengthening Indian democracy, ensuring transparency in governance, and building the capacities of the common citizen. Above all, it is all about nurturing the trust between citizens and the state – where both must have faith in each other, he added.
He noted that it was during the Modi government that a 24-hour portal service was introduced for e-filing of the RTI any time during the day or night from any part of the country or abroad.