Jammu and Kashmir Story By Afsana Rashid
By newsadmin at 1 July, 2009, 5:06 am
Afsana Rashid Is Young Indian Article Writer
Jammu and Kashmir- India, June 28
Experiences were shared and problems in light of Right to Information Act here were discussed at length during a debate cum workshop ‘Right to Information and role of educationists’ on Monday last.
Nadeem Qadri, President-Youth Parliament of Jammu and Kashmir said, “RTI can lead to a transparent social system and good governance,” during the
programme organized by RTI Movement and Actionaid, here.
Qadri was of the opinion that RTI can be used for accessing teacher and
pupil attendance registers in primary schools, apart from looking into teaching standards, enrolment and drop-out rate of students, student performance, implementation of mid-day meal programme and infrastructure standards.
Regarding strategies to promote RTI, he said, “Networking, advocacy and effective use of media, capacity building and awareness generation could be of great use.” He advocated incorporation of principles of RTI Act into school curriculum.
While agreeing to incorporation of RTI in school curriculum, Bashir Ahmad Malla, retired Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Police said, “Everything is covered here. Who is going to catch hold of whom? is a million dollar
question.”
He said that during his tenure at Vigilance department he found that no action was taken against people involved in malpractices and embezzlements.
“In 2001 a scandal was unearthed under which 3,000 illiterates were appointed teachers in Anantnag and Pulwama districts. Despite recommendations, no action whatsoever could be taken against Mohammad Yusuf Shah who had appointed all these ‘teachers’. Shah managed to get an order in his favour from the court and upto this moment he is enjoying patronage
under the system,” said Malla.
The retired DIG said that government rewards ‘corrupt’ officers and transfers or demotes officials who are honest and upright. “Recently chief minister Omar Abdullah said that an amount of 60 crores would be spent on development of roads in Srinagar and Jammu cities. Believe me lot of embezzlement would take place in this case,” he said. He added that after one year condition of roads would be same.
Quoting another example, Malla said that old-age pension and scholarships offered by Social Welfare Department, wherein Rs. 200 is given to elder citizens and Rs. 150 to special children (orphans), sees many malpractices.
“List of beneficiaries is prepared by Tehsil Social Welfare Officers. Later they distribute grant-in-aid among them. The amount is embezzled,” said Malla.
Sharing his experience, he said that money was sent to destitute through money orders but those money orders never reached them.
He added that sub standard medicine is mostly sold here and almost all water supply schemes in rural areas are defunct or on paper only.
“RTI is more relevant here as compared to other states. It is high time that RTI be used in an effective manner. It has empowered a common person,” he said.
Prof. Afzal Qadri, an academician and former Head of Department Faculty of Law, University of Kashmir however, said, “Instead of making RTI a part of syllabi, it should be optional subject. Awareness programmes can be carried out in educational institutions.”
“It has to be made a part of public awareness,” says Prof. Qadri. He warned that same shouldn’t be made a tool of harassment or exploitation.“Our state was first in getting RTI passed but its condition was adverse.RTI Act-2005 was purely a government Act. Later amendments were made and RTI Act-2009 came in. The irony however, is that its rules are yet to be framed,” he says.
Prof. Qadri emphasized that last clause of the Act deals with rigorous education campaign and those who are bound to do it are least bothered. “It is responsibility of government to educate masses about RTI but they have failed miserably.”
Sharing his concern, he said in next 20 years roads here would be 4-5 feet higher “and they would be at par with people’s bedrooms. While re-constructing roads old magdum has to be removed, but it never happens and increases road- thickness.”
A documentary on RTI Movement was screened during the gathering.
Related posts:
- ONGC suspended its activities in Jammu and Kashmir 22 years ago, drilling rigs removed in 1987
- Jammu University Results , Jammu University Results 2010
- story by Jehangir Rashid from srinagar
Trackbacks & Pingbacks