Right to Information Act: A step-wise user mannual

A lot of you feel that there are irregularities and corruption happening around you. If you want to expose that corruption, file an RTI to get the data. We cannot just accuse somebody to be corrupt. We will need to arm ourselves with accurate information. Filing an RTI is not VERY tough. You and I can do it. The following is a step-wise guide to help you file an RTI.

1. Here is a list of the official departments of Assam. Pick your department from
http://www.assamgovt.nic.in/departments/index.asp 

2. The RTI application has to be addressed to the PIO of the department. You can find who the PIO of a certain department is through this : 
http://www.sicassam.in/ssc/sio-dept-list.php

3. Application Fee of Rs. 10.00. Fees to be paid by Cash, Bankers Cheque, Demand Draft or IPO payable to the Authorized Officer or designated officer OR by remittance to Head of Account: “0070 – Other Administrative Services”
Further Fees (Sec 7(1), 7(3), 7(5)):
-Rs. 2.00 for each page created or copied (A3 or A4 size)
-Rs. 50.00 per Diskette or Floppy
-As per price fixed for the Publication available for sale, or photocopy charges of Rs. 2.00 per page


4. Keep some points in mind while writing an RTI application:
- Restrict the period of information to 1-3 years.That way the PIO can't reject your application stating it is too voluminous.
- A good RTI application is short and childishly simple for the PIO to fulfill.
- Do not give any reason about why you need the information
- If you need a lot of information, write many small RTI applications. A single lengthy application may scare and overwhelm the PIO, and tempt him to throw it into his drawer. He will hesitate and postpone searching for the information. Instead, send a small, manageable RTI application with only 3-4 questions. Then, after you receive a reply to that, send another one… and another. 
- Use a white sheet of paper to write an application. There is no need to use Note-sheet, or the Court stamp paper. You can even use your letter pad.
- The matter/content can be hand-written, or typed. There is no compulsion of typing the content.
- Make sure the application is legible and easy to read.
- Be very specific and ask to-the-point questions. Don't ask vague questions.
- Do not ask a question containing 'WHY'! For example, questions like "why you failed to pass the bill", is liable to be rejected for not being covered under RTI Act.
- Remember that you do not need to write the reason for asking the information.
Some sample RTI applications: http://rti.aidindia.org/content/view/221/76/

How do I submit my application? 

You can do that in person, either yourself or by sending someone to the office of the PIO or APIO. Or you can submit it by post also, by sending it at the address of the PIO or an APIO. In the case of all Central Government Departments, 629 post offices have been designated as APIOs. This means that you can go to any of these post offices and submit your fee and application at the RTI counter in these post offices. They will issue you a receipt and acknowledgement and it is the responsibility of that post office to deliver it to the right PIO. The list of these post offices is given at http://www.indiapost.gov.in/rtimanual16a.html 

Is there a time limit to receiving information? 

Yes. If you file your application with the PIO, you must receive information within 30 days. In case you have filed your application with Assistant PIO then information has to be made available within 35 days. In case the matter to which the information pertains affects the life and liberty of an individual, information has to be made available in 48 hours. 

Who is covered under RTI? 

The Central RTI Act extends to the whole of India except the State of Jammu and Kashmir. All bodies, which are constituted under the Constitution or under any law or under any Government notification or all bodies, including NGOs, which are owned, controlled or substantially financed by the Government are covered. 

For a more detailed list of questions and answers on RTI, go to http://rti.aidindia.org/content/view/270/99/

Appeal

Dear all,

At the very outset, I would like to state that I have no political affiliations. I do not belong to any political party. I do not belong to any organization. In fact, I am one of those Indians who have completely lost faith in the political system of India to such an extent that we do not even vote. Yes, I have never ever even voted in any election.(Of course, I am not proud of it.) In fact, I do not even have a voter ID!


Then who am I? I am just one among many millions of common people of Assam who is fed up with the corruption in the state. It is not that I do not care about the situation in my country. It's just that I had given up.

Then, why am I suddenly showing so much attention? Tough question! But let me try to explain it.There is no ONE specific moment. I guess it has been a build up over the years...right from encountering the worsening Delhi traffic in the name of Common Wealth Games to the floods that affect my father's village EVERY year.  For years, we have been taken for a ride by one political party after another. The politicians have looted us to such an extent that today Assam is one of the poorest states in India, while the politicians of Assam are probably some of the richest people in Assam. And, for years, we have been complaining about corruption and saying "Why doesn't someone do something?" We waited and waited and waited. But, that miraculous "someone" did not come to our rescue. In fact, every time a common man such as a Manjunath, an Akhil Gogoi or a Satyendra Dubey emerges, the opposing forces drown his voice. It is then that I realised that we- ALL of us -will have to be that "someone" who will have to do "something". Afterall, it will be more difficult to drown the voices of a million people. The common man will now have to do something 'uncommon'. Now, a time has come when millions of common citizens like me are ready to stand up and say "ENOUGH IS ENOUGH." If we do not do that now, the next generation will never forgive us. Here, I quote from the Bhagvad Gita - " The one who tolerates injustice is as guilty as the one who does injustice." We have decided to not take part in this injustice anymore. We are raising our voice against corruption in our beloved motherland, Assam.

I had created created the page "Supporting Akhil Gogoi" on Facebook in May 2010, while I was at home, away from work, recovering from a surgery. I had created the page to only inform some of my friends about how Mr. Akhil Gogoi is utilizing RTI (Right to Information) Act in Assam to expose scandals and misuse of tax-payers' money by corrupt politicians and bureaucrats. Now, of course, this page is no longer just mine. It has now become a place where a lot of like-minded people like me raise our voices against corruption. This is the place from where we, the educated youth of Assam, have decided to stand by our motherland. But raising our voice is not enough. Some action also has to be taken. But not just some emotional knee-jerk reaction to the current events. We will have to carry this forward. This is just the beginning.

On Sunday, August 8, at Jantar Mantar, New Delhi, a lot of us will be gathering to participate in a peaceful silent candlelight vigil or a "mouno xuko xobha" to mourn the death of honesty among Assam politicians. THIS WILL BE A NON-POLITICAL GATHERING. WE WILL BE PROTESTING ONLY AND ONLY AGAINST CORRUPTION AMONG POLITICIANS IN ASSAM. We do not care who the ruling party is , as long as they work for the common people in a selfless manner. In our gathering, there will be no speeches and no "naaras (slogans)". Afterall, we are just a bunch of common people; we are not doing this to get votes!

I have always strongly believed that the media can act as an effective catalyst to any positive social cause. It has the power and the authority to do so. And, that's why I am writing to you. I request you to help us spread the word about this candlelight vigil. I request you to help us send a message to corrupt politicians that we are not going to be cheated anymore. India is a democracy. If we, the common people, have the right to vote people to power, we also have the right to keep the politicians in check.


I also want to send out an appeal to each person of Assam. On August 8, at 7pm, wherever you are - whether in Assam or outside Assam, join us. Let Bangalore, Pune, Mumbai, Jorhat, Guwahati, Hyderabad, London, New York, etc. have simultaneous similar gatherings. We need people in each city who can take this forward in their respective cities. For once, we have to make our voices heard. All of us together will have to send out a strong message to the corrupt politicians and bureaucrats - "It's NOT "okay" to be corrupt. "Everyone is corrupt" is not a valid justification. Stop insulting our intelligence. Stop testing our patience!"

Anticipating your support and thanking you in advance,

Regards,

Aryama Dutta Saikia

(a frustrated 'common man' who has decided to stop complaining and do something) 

Akhil Gogoi: The Assamese crusader

Most of us secretly harbor fantasies of being a hero, exterminating corruption and making a difference in the society. Well, in Assam, Akhil Gogoi and his organization, Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), are doing exactly this.

Akhil Gogoi is the most well-known RTI (Right to Information) activist of Assam. For his contribution to exposing government corruption in Assam through RTI, Akhil Gogoi has been felicitated with various prestigious awards such as the Shanmugam Manjunath Integrity Award and the first-ever national RTI award.

Akhil Gogoi, secretary of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) , had unearthed two scams running into Rs 35 lakh and Rs 25 lakh. The data obtained through RTI revealed two scams under the Indira Awas Yojana (IAY). Under one IAY project, Rs 35 lakh was sanctioned for construction of 140 houses in 12 panchayats. But, not a single IAY house was constructed. In another case, Gogoi found that Rs 25 lakh was paid to a fictitious firm for purchase of muster-roll registers and measurement books.

In March 2006, Akhil Gogoi started an RTI investigation, followed by a social audit, that led to the expose of a Rs 1.25 crore scam in Sampoornai Gram Rozgar Yojana (SGRY) in the Golaghat district. 

Another RTI investigation by Gogoi detected chain of corruption from FCI godown to the fair price shop.The probe, which revealed that only 5-15 per cent of wheat flour was reaching intended beneficiaries, also led to arrests of several officials. Assam government set up three committees for enquiring into the matter. PDS system was reformed. This probe also resulted in threats to Gogoi to the extent that CIC suggested to the state government to provide security to him. 

Akhil Gogoi's and KMSS’ actions have mass appeal. They have grown from strength to strength, unearthing many a scam and forcing action to be taken against the guilty. KMSS and Akhil Gogoi were thus becoming a threat, not only to the corrupt and powerful, but also to the political parties, who used both threat and lure to try and contain him. But,in vain. So, all of a sudden the security agencies, at the behest of the government, have now branded them as Naxalites/Maoists. 


I knew Akhil Gogoi while I was studying in Guwahati's Cotton College. I was in Class 11 and he was doing his BA English. Though he was our senior, he would always find a few minutes to talk to us whenever we crossed roads.He had inspired a lot of us to follow our dreams. Even at that time, at the age of 20, Akhilda used to be against violence of any sort. In 1995-96, he had led an agitation against the Cotton College administration demanding professors to be more regular in taking classes. There was not a single incident of violence or vandalism. Akhilda had led the agitation by going on a hunger strike. So, if the authorities are saying that someone like Akhilda, who loves O. Henry and looks upto Gandhi, is a maoist, then they are implying that by default, every human being is a maoist. Now, that's ridiculous!!


Sitting in our AC apartments, away from the leeches of the society who prey on the poor hapless rural majority of India, the least we can do is offer our moral support to the cause of Akhil Gogoi and his KMSS.

Racism

These days, "racism" seems to be topping the list of hot topics - what with Indian students facing racial attacks in Australia and the Mizoram CM raising the age-old debate about the treatment meted out to people from north east by the rest of India! Well, I am from the northeast - Assam to be precise. And, by the way, I am proud as hell to be an Assamese! 


Anyway, I did my education in Nagpur and in the US. To be honest, I face more racism in India than I ever did during my 4-year stay in the US as an international student.


To begin with, when I joined VRCE Nagpur in 1997 for my BE degree, I was shocked to see that people's knowledge about the northeast was appalling to say the least. I was asked questions like "What do you people wear?", "What kind of houses do you live in?", "Do you hunt wild animals?", etc. A lot of my school friends who had gone to various premier engineering colleges across India were faced with the same ignorance. What was more shocking was that the students in these colleges were not riff-raff average students - they were some of the brightest minds in the country.

Another interesting thing was that everyone thought that girls from the northeast are easy and that they are raving alcoholics and drug addicts who wear as less clothes as possible. In fact, I bet a lot of them were surprised and probably a little disappointed to see that we wear clothes and not leaves ! It sounds funny now, but I used to find these things infuriating. I remember an instance when one of my classmates very innocently asked me, 'Are you able to adjust here?' I thought it was kind of him and told him that I was doing fine. He persisted.'But do you get the food that you people eat?' Not able to understand my confused look, he continued.' Afterall, your staple food is pork and rice.' It was a good thing that there was a table between him and me which prevented me from strangling him. Nevertheless, I yelled at him and his ignorance in a mixture of English and what I hoped to be Hindi. Of course, he didn't argue with me. The next day, he came up to me and apologised and asked if I can hear him out. Since my temper had fizzled out by then, I agreed. He showed me the Class 10 Social Studies textbook of Maharashtra board, and sure enough, there was a chapter on the Northeast states of India where it was clearly written that the people of northeast live in treehouses and that their staple food is pork and rice !

During the 4 years that I stayed in Nagpur, I am glad to say that we could atleast change the opinions of our friends about "northeast people." Initially, everyone had assumed that all people from northeast get admission under ST or SC quota. But this was a blessing in disguise. All of us from Assam worked doubly hard to prove ourselves; a lot of us ended up in the top 10-20 in their departments, and, during campus interviews all of us ended up getting jobs. We surely gave the people who sneered at us a run for their money!

After my 4 year stint at Nagpur, when I went to the US for my Masters, I was pleasantly surprised to find complete absence of racism. It felt so nice not to be stared at constantly. There everyone was from somewhere else - so, of course, everyone blended in this cosmopolitan utopia. Though there were stray instances of attacks on Muslims after 9/11, it never translated to racism or xenophobia. In fact, I think if 9/11 would have happened in India, it would have caused mass massacre of all muslims.

Well, after spending 4 years in the US in utter bliss, history repeated itself when I moved to India to work in Delhi in 2005. PG accommodation was almost impossible to find since few were willing to keep northeast girls in their homes. Why? Oh, because northeast girls are "loose". So, life came to a full circle for me. Since then, I have been married to a north Indian for the past 4 years and hence, been deemed respectable by my current landlord in Delhi!

Anyway, now that I am older (and hopefully wiser), I can't help but ask myself if this is not racism, then what is? But, the buck does not stop with the individuals who have these misconceptions. What is the root cause of all these - is it the Chapter in the Class 10 Social Studies textbook of Maharashtra or is it the Doordarshan programs on northeast where people in the northeast are always shown wearing feathers and jumping around with spears? These are the images that are being implanted in the minds of the rest of the country. Yes, we are different. But, aren't Gujaratis, Marathis and Biharis different in their own right? I mean, isn't India supposed to be all about "unity in diversity"?