Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan Union for Empowerment of Peasants and Labourers By: Vivek Ramkumar

Topics Covered in Presentation.. Introduction to the MKSS Discussion of the need for Right to Information (RTI) Evolution of the RTI campaign Analysis of RTI legislations in India

Principal Activities of MKSS Advocacy & Mobilization Provision of Public Services Education

MKSS’ Advocacy & Mobilization Activities Minimum wage issues and the Right to Information campaign Food security issues and the Right to Food campaign Employment guarantee and the Right to Work campaign Decentralization and empowerment of village wards Electoral reforms and the Election Watch campaign.

MKSS’ Public Services Operation of Fair Price Shops Operation of Public Distribution System centre Provision of assistance to support resolution of individual and community disputes

MKSS’ Education Activity The School for Democracy

MKSS’ Funding Sources – Raises money from Donations from friends & supporters Contributions from village communities in cash or kind (labor, grains) Sale of MKSS-related material Surpluses generated by Fair Price Shops

‘Does not accept Government funding Foreign funding Domestic institutional funding

Why do we need the Right to Information (RTI)? The RTI is the ‘enabling right’ that is the basis of all other rights RTI allows for participation of citizens in decision making RTI promotes transparency and accountability of government RTI is an anti-corruption factor RTI increases political discussion and debate

Evolution of the Right to Information campaign 1990: Formation of the MKSS : Creation of linkages between denial of rights and access to information : MKSS organizes a series of public hearings in various villages : Two major sit-in protest meetings organized in Beawer and Jaipur 1996: Formation of the National Campaign for Peoples Right to Information

Evolution of the Right to Information Campaign (con’t) 1997: Amendment of Panchayati Raj Act – village administration records made accessible 2000: Rajasthan State Legislature passes the Right to Information Act

Freedom of Information Act in India Passed in December 2002 Notification and Rules & Regulations for the Act still to be made

Analysis of Right to Information Legislations in India Four criteria for evaluating legislation: Does the law apply as widely as possible with as few exemptions as possible. Is there adequate institutional capacity to support RTI coupled with simple and non restrictive information flows. Is the penalty amount large enough to act as a deterrent to non compliance. Is the appeal mechanism adequately independent.