Govt committed to make RTI more effective instrument: PM

he Prime Minister has asserted that the government is committed to making Right to Information more effective instrument for ensuring transparency and accountability in administration.

Elaborating the need to strike a balance between request for information and limited time and resources available with public authorities, Dr. Manmohan Singh stressed that requests for information having no bearing on public interest, is not really desirable. 

He was addressing the sixth convention of the Central Information Commission in New Delhi yesterday. 

The Prime Minister said the Government is taking initiative to enact a legislation for protection of Whistle blowers in the next few months. He said that it would, among other things, help in prevention of violence against those who seek to expose wrongdoing.

The Prime Minister also emphasised the need for voluntary disclosure of information in public domain proactively for greater transparency by the government as well as corporate sectors.

Expressing concern over delay in the disclosure of information not covered by the exemption provisions of the Right to Information Act, Dr. Manmohan Singh exhorted the officials to voluntarily put information in public domain without waiting for applications from information seekers.

He said the Right to Information is a huge step forward to curb corruption and improving process of governance.

Earlier, speaking at the inauguration, Chief Information Commissioner Satyananda Mishra pleaded for constitutional and financial autonomy for the Information Commission at centre and states on the lines of the Election Commission.