Content Provisions of Right to Information law Social Change Government Solution Why it does not work People’s Needs People’s Solutions Examples of People’s struggles Current Status Get Involved

Right To Information Law provides for easy access to public information Inspect any government work Appeal to Public grievance commission Nine states and central govt have passed the right to information law Implementation resisted Lack training, clear procedures, awareness among users

Social Change Education & Health Justice for all – rule of law Right to food and work Shelter Transparent accountable governance Rights for women and children

Social Change - Government Solution Top-down approach for a problem These do not always represent requirements of the people

Why it does not work? Vested interests Opportunism Corruption Cultural and social bounds – structural in nature Extreme poverty and marginalization Externalized problem, stigmatized Threats to survival, dignity, hope, self-respect

Examples of People’s Involvement Social Audits of: Pension schemes Housing schemes Construction projects Ration shops Land redistribution Government health clinics

Social Change - People’s Solutions People’s groups work to Make policies relevant Monitor functioning of govt agencies Change attitudes People’s groups are participatory in decision making and accountability

Examples of Struggles Panchayat Sikoriah (Hardoi District) Construction projects The people’s group in this case was the self-help group organized around Asha center Lalpur, U.P. - Villages asked the panchayat for the details of the accounts. After long struggle they finally got some numbers of expenditure in six construction projects. Three items were ghost projects and bogus expenses were found in the rest.

Examples cont… Delhi Ration shops The people’s group in this case was Parivartan. 142/182 families did not receive ration 87% of the wheat did not reach the families Records were made public and since then people have informed us that all dealers but one have been giving the correct ration for the last two months An FIR has been lodged against him

Current Status In nine states the right to information is empowering people’s groups. There is resistance to pass this law in the rest of the states. Citizenship education is still required to get people to exercise this right. However, in some cases the gains made at local officials are still overturned by higher level administration and judiciary.

Get Involved Understand issues of the underprivileged Encourage getting information for government agencies that affect projects and communities Give moral support, encourage formation of local groups/civic institutions, networks Encourage transparency and local accountability in projects Personally do not encourage systems that make govt bodies morally weaker, e.g. do not use short cuts like bribes or connections to get things done.

Statistics TamilNadu, Goa, Rajasthan, Delhi, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh -between 1997 and 2003 Delhi – Covers 119 departments of govt., 15 – 30 days response time, penalties for refusal to respond Central govt. Freedom of Information Act – 2002 Initiatives in other states

RTI Campaigns Mazdoor Kissan Shakti Sangathan, Rajasthan. Parivartan, Delhi. Lalpur area villages, U.P. National campaign for people’s rights to information (NCPRI) www.righttoinformation.com Others.

Citizenship Education Education that empowers to change the economic and structural binds Awareness of rights and responsibilities Participatory decision making, local accountability Understanding of environment

Investment in Future Development through steps of : access to education, income, and information empowerment, citizenship rights and duties and participation. These steps will lead to community's participation in training, resource generation and management for its future generations.

Current Status At-risk Threat to survival Lack of land, education, training, skills, opportunity, access Participation, control, management of future, choices, staying power Hope, dignity, respect, confidence