'RTI brings accountability in administration'

Source:TNN, Apr 8, 2010, 10.30pm IST



VARANASI: "Information is power and right to information (RTI) brings accountability and transparency in administration," said Prof TM Mohapatra, director, Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS), Banaras Hindu University while inaugurating the two-day training-cum-workshop on RTI Act, 2005 at UGC Academic Staff College, BHU on Thursday.

Stressing that the RTI Act could go a long way in empowering people to have access to vital informations, Prof Mohapatra said: "Positive initiatives taken by Goa and Tamil Nadu in 1997 for providing information to people paved the way for RTI Act in 2005." In his presidential remarks, BHU rector Prof BD Singh said RTI should not be used as a means of exploitation but as a tool to bring transparency and accountability for good governance.

Earlier, while tracing the history of RTI Act, joint director Institute of Secretariat Training and Management (ISTM), New Delhi MS Kasana said: "Sweden was the first country to introduce the concept of RTI even though it had monarchy in 1766." He also raised hope that the act could help eradicate corruption in the society.

It is to be mentioned here that ISTM, New Delhi under the department of Personnel and Training, Government of India had organised the programme.

A number of senior university officials including Dr KP Upadhyaya, registrar and other members of Academic Staff College were also present.

Admission cancelled: The admissions of as many as three students including Gopalji, Shubham Mishra and Shivakant Pathak were cancelled on Thursday. The trio were granted temporary admission in the first year of Shastri (honours), equivalent to graduation in the faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vignana, Banaras Hindu University.

As per Prof Chandrama Pandey, head, faculty admission committee, the three students were not found fit for admission, as they could not meet the eligibility criteria of securing 50 percent marks in Uttar Madhyama (Intermediate) examinations.

Course on martial arts: The University Mountaineering Centre, BHU is going to start a certificate course on Martial Arts from April 22.

As per reports of the Centre, the course for self-protection is open for all school students in the city. The centre would also conduct test on April 18 in order to admit students.