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RTI on PM CARES Fund

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June 24, 2020

Why in news?

Right to Information (RTI) applications seeking information pertaining to the PM CARES Fund have been stonewalled.

What is the concern?

  • This violation of peoples’ RTI is particularly concerning given the unprecedented crisis gripping the nation.
  • Relief and welfare programmes funded through public money are the lifeline of people who lost income-earning opportunities during the lockdown.
  • The poor and marginalised affected by the public health emergency are to have any hope of obtaining the benefits of government schemes.
  • So, they must have access to relevant information.

What is a worrying narrative?

  • A narrative seems to have emerged that public scrutiny of actions of the government is undesirable during the crisis and citizens must unquestioningly trust the state.
  • This undermines the basic democratic tenet that citizens’ oversight is necessary to ensure they are able to access their rights.
  • Without information, peoples’ ability to perform that role is eviscerated and corruption thrives.
  • The RTI Act, 2005, has empowered citizens to access information from public authorities and hold them accountable.

Why openness is crucial?

  • During the Covid-19 crisis, proper implementation of the law has assumed greater significance than ever before.
  • Information related to implementation of relief measures announced by governments should be widely disseminated.
  • Greater openness would prevent controversies of the kind exemplified by faulty testing kits and fake ventilators.
  • It is a time when incentives for secrecy are great, and the scope for discretionary actions are wide.
  • During this time, a culture of openness needs to be created to empower people to participate in the decisions that have profound effects on their lives and livelihoods.

How accessibility can be ensured?

  • Numerous instances have been reported of Covid-19 patients requiring treatment in ICUs being shunted from one hospital to another.
  • This could be prevented if hospitals and health centres publicly provide real-time information about availability of facilities.
  • To ensure accessibility to those who need it the most, relevant information must be made available in local languages and widely disseminated.
  • In fact, this is a statutory obligation of public authorities under Section 4 of the RTI Act.

How did the transparency watchdogs perform?

  • Around 21 out of 29 commissions in the country did not hold a single hearing during the first three stages of the lockdown.
  • The Central Information Commission and some State commissions used audio and video conferencing to hear and dispose cases.
  • But, most commissions did not make provision for hearing even urgent matters.
  • In the current scenario, the role of information commissions is crucial.

What is the way forward?

  • In the midst of a pandemic, it is reasonable to expect delays in processing information requests.
  • However, the public authorities must not be allowed to interpret the crisis as a justification for not complying with the RTI Act.
  • People must be able to obtain information about how and where their money is being spent in the efforts to combat the pandemic.
  • They should also know whether the funds are reaching the intended beneficiaries.

 

Source: The Hindu

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