RTI Act Heartbeat Of Democracy: Governor

Addressing the RTI Week celebrations organised by the Telangana Information Commission at Ravindra Bharathi, the Governor said the relationship between the government and citizens could be strengthened only through transparent and accountable governance.

The celebrations mark 21 years since the Right to Information Act, 2005, came into force. The week-long programme, which began on Monday, will conclude on October 12.

Shukla said information about government schemes, policies, eligibility criteria and application procedures should be made readily accessible to the public. Proactive disclosure of such information would reduce the need for citizens to file RTI applications, he said.

The Governor stressed that information should be made available not only in Telugu but also in other languages understood by the people, particularly in a diverse state like Telangana.

He said it was a collective responsibility to ensure that the benefits of the RTI Act reached rural communities, women, persons with disabilities and marginalised sections without any barriers. He also called for greater use of modern technology to improve access to information.

State chief information commissioner Dr G. Chandrashekhar Reddy said government departments must proactively share information to meet the expectations of the younger generation, particularly Gen Z, which seeks immediate access to information.

Highlighting the commission’s performance, he said it had disposed of 21,000 of the 30,000 cases in just 15 months. Pendency across 24 departments had been brought down to near-zero levels, while an audit process pending for eight years had been completed.

On the occasion, the Governor released Samachara Darpanam, a newsletter published by the Telangana Information Commission.

Director General of Police C.V. Anand administered the RTI pledge. The Governor also presented awards and felicitated officials and departments for their contributions to the effective implementation of the RTI Act.