One Day RTI Training Programme Organised By CRSGPP, WBNUJS

On the 27th of September, 2016 the Centre for Regulatory Studies, Governance and Public Policy (CRSGPP), a research centre at the West Bengal National University of Juridical Sciences (WBNUJS) organized a one-day Training Programme on the Right to Information Act, 2005. The programme was meant to create awareness and motivation among Public Information Officers (PIOs) in different institutions, with specific focus to educational institutes. The programme threw light on how RTI applications should be received, what should be the attitude of PIOs while answering RTI queries, and most importantly, what are their obligations under the Act regarding disclosure. Aside from this, institutions were encouraged to have a better information management mechanism, improved system of data storage and voluntary disclosure of information which would lead to greater transparency and reduce the number of RTI applications.

The inaugural address was delivered by the Hon'ble Vice Chancellor of WBNUJS, Prof. (Dr.) IshwaraBhat. The Chief Guest of the programme was Mr. GMP Reddy (IPS retd), State Information Commissioner, and prominent resource persons included Mr. A.K. Chaudhury (IAS retd), former Chief Information Commissioner of Bihar, Dr. Jeet Singh Mann, Associate Professor at the National Law University, Delhi and professors from the Administrative Training Institute, Kolkata. The vote of thanks was delivered by the Research Fellow of CRSGPP, Dr. T.R. Subramanya. CRSGPP conducted this training programme in pursuance of a project it is carrying out on the trend analysis of RTI applications in the Gram Panchayats and Panchayat Samitis in West Bengal.