Mumbai, January 05: If you plan to file a Right to Information (RTI) query, soon there will be help at hand. The Anti Corruption Cell of the Indian Merchants’ Chamber (ACIMC) and the Public Concern for Governance Trust (PCGT) announced the commencement of a RTI clinic that will be functional from January 20.
The clinic, which will be conducted twice every month on the first and third Wednesdays, comes after the state chief information commissioner – Dr Suresh Joshi – said that more middle class and upper-middle class citizens should come forward in the new decade and use the RTI.
The clinic will be set up to guide applicants to draft applications and questions that can be asked to the concerned authorities. “People these days do not get the income tax and sales tax returns. This will help them get what they deserve,” Julio Ribeiro, member of ACIMC, said. To begin with, the clinic will function with three experts – two activists and one advocate – who will help the applicants.
“The number of days, frequency and timings of the clinic will be increased as per the response from the people,” Narayan Varma, managing trustee of PCGT, said.
“Many people in the government have turned pro-RTI. In fact, it is the only Act that penalises the bureaucrats for delaying delivery of information to citizens, which constantly keeps them on their toes.”
The clinic will begin from January 20 at the Indian Merchants Chamber. Citizens can go to the clinic between 4-6pm. For appointment call 22046633 (Extn: 133/134)
–Agencies–