HYDERABAD: Stating that there is a lot of confusion over the existing AP State Information Commission (APSIC), members of United Forum for RTI Campaign (UFRTI) said that AP Reorganization Act 2014 is silent on the status of the commission. The members also demanded Telangana state government to establish its own Information Commission.
“While many other commissions found place in the 10th schedule of the AP Reorganization Act, APSIC was not mentioned. The commission also realized this very late and took up the issue with Union Home Ministry and also both the state governments”, as per a press note, adding the Union Home Ministry is least interested.
The members of the forum, which includes B Ramakrishnam Raju, D Rakesh Reddy, Sandeep Panday and others, also demanded the Telangana government allocation of dedicated budget for training & publicity of the act and that it must be ensured that every official who is discharging the role of a PIO/APIO should undergo a comprehensive training.
“Civil Society, in general, and RTI activists, in particular, should be involved in oversight committees looking into the implementation of the RTI Act at both the state and district level. A high level committee on the lines of the previous AP government should be constituted under the chairmanship of chief secretary and members of civil society should be included in the same. The committee’s recommendations should be taken seriously and be implemented in a time bound manner”, included the demands.