By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 12 Sep: Governor Lt General Gurmit Singh (Retd) emphasised the need to enhance awareness on the Right to Information (RTI) Act in the remote districts of the state. He noted that over 50 percent of RTI applications are currently received from only the plains districts of Dehradun and Haridwar. Therefore, it is necessary to increase awareness in the remaining districts, particularly in rural areas.
The Governor also highlighted the low participation of women in obtaining information, noting that their participation is only 6 percent. He urged efforts to further educate women about RTI. He stressed the importance of informing every individual about the power and significance of information.
The Governor praised the launch of the online RTI portal by the commission, stating that it would save the public’s time and effort and aid in making the working of public authorities more accountable and transparent.
On Thursday, at Raj Bhavan, Chief Information Commissioner (In-charge) Vivek Sharma, Information Commissioner Vipin Sharma, and Information Commissioner Yogesh Bhatt paid a courtesy call and provided an update on the activities and operations of the State Information Commission. They shared information about the progress of the RTI Act in Uttarakhand, resolved and pending appeals, and stated that the commission would honour public information officers and first appellate authorities for their outstanding work. They also proposed organising workshops and debate competitions in colleges, along with departmental workshops.