RTI Awareness Strategies Initiative by Kerala State Information Commission

Requirements for efficient admn. of a people oriented law People must be aware of *their rights under the law * how to exercise their rights * their duties and obligations

Sec. 26(1) of RTI Act *Govt. to organise educational programmes *In particular for disadvantaged communities *PAs also to undertake such programmes

Peoples Contact Programme organised by KSIC & Kerala State Literacy Mission Authority (KSLMA) Started on

About KSLMA *K S L M A has District Literacy Missions in all the Districts * KSLMA has 3500 Continuing Education Centres (CEC) – located in Grama panchayaths (There are 999 Grama Panchayats)

About KSLMA (Contd.) * K S L M A has 500 Nodal Continuing Education Centres (NCEC) – located in Block panchayaths, Municipalities and city corporations (There are 152 BPs, 53 Municipalities and 5 City Corporations) * There are about 8000 Preraks * Minimum educational qualification for Preraks - SSLC pass in CEC - SSLC pass in CEC - Graduation in NCEC - Graduation in NCEC

The Programme Selection of Key Resource Persons(KRP) * 50 KRPs were selected – state level *mainly Advocates, Engineers, Teachers – *Serving and Rtd. Govt. and Non-Govt. officials, Activists *One day Seminar on 1/1/2007

The Programme (Contd.) Selection and Training of Resource Persons (RP) – District Level Selection and Training of Resource Persons (RP) – District Level * training organised at district level *15 RPs in each district *qualified persons *trained as trainers *training materials were supplied

The Programme (Contd.) *Selection and Training of Preraks *Average of 150 persons in a district *training organised at district level *training materials were supplied

The Programme (Contd.) *Organising peoples Contact Programmes *Organised by the Preraks *7000 Programmes organised (approx) *Participation – 6 lakhs plus *GPs,BPs,DPs were associated

Programme Evaluation Participation Urban Ω 20% Rural & costal areas Ω 80% Rural & costal areas Ω 80% Participation Male Ω 25% Female Ω 75% Tribal Participation > 1000

RTI Help Desks *Help desks in 55 Block Panchayats *Model Help Desks in 6 districts attached to the offices of KSLMA *Assist the Citizen in preparing the application *Give necessary advice

Important disclosures in Rural areas *Beneficiary select lists *Guidelines for select lists *Illegal encroachment into Govt. lands *Bogus title deeds *Estimate, Amount sanctioned, Actual expenditure etc. of projects *Minutes of Grama Sabhas and Panchayats *Unauthorised building constructions

Indirect Benefit to Citizens *Quick disposal of applications, complaints etc. *Timely disclosure of details of projects/ welfare schemes

Funding *KSIC lakhs *LSGs Lakhs (Approx) *Other Sponsorships

Conclusion * The Programme should sustain as a continuing programme *The number of applications increased from 30,000 (approx) in to 2,50,000 (approx) in *Most of the applications are not strictly RTI applications *Should go into finer aspects - What is information? - What is RTI? *Need Financial support from the Govt. to sustain

Thank You