Thursday, July 22, 2010

India's first RTI library named after Prakash Kardaley

Pune has become the first municipal corporation in India to have a Right to Information (RTI) library. Magsaysay award winner Arvind Kejriwal inaugurated the library that is named after Prakash Kardaley, a journalist from the city, who had a major role in the drafting of the Right to Information Act.

Calling Kardaley a guiding force in the RTI movement, Mr. Kejriwal said that it was only apt that the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) had named the library after him.

Till now the PMC was ensuring transparency by voluntarily disclosing information. It was keeping all the files open for inspection by public (Under Section 4 of the RTI Act) on every Monday, a PMC official said.

House of documents
The library, situated in the PMC building, will serve like a reference to all those seeking information. Instead of seeking information under RTI Act, now the people in Pune can get the information in the library itself. The minutes and the agendas of the meetings, all the contracts and agreements by the PMC and the elections details will be made available, PMC officials said.

Full report here Hindu

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