The Bihar government will provide a copy of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in Braille for the benefit of visually impaired people in the state, officials said Thursday, describing it as a first for the country.

An official of the Bihar State Information Commission (BSIC) said the Nitish Kumar government had initiated the move to help visually challenged people in understanding the act and the rules. "The commission will distribute the copies of the RTI Act in Braille script among visually impaired people to create awareness and to provide them an opportunity to use it for their benefit," an official said. The commission has also decided to accept applications submitted in Braille.

According officials of the BSIC, there are one million visually impaired people in Bihar but not one had turned up with an RTI application in the last five years.

BSIC has approached the Dehradun-based National Institute of Visually Handicapped for getting Braille copies of the act and the rules in Hindi and English. It has also requested the institute to prepare audio versions.

Officials said the institute has a huge press where books in Braille script are printed. Neither the Central Information Commission nor any state information commission has so far taken the initiative to print the RTI Act in Braille, an official said.

After successfully implementing the information on phone service under Right to Information (RTI) Act Bihar once again added new flavor by introducing video-conferencing facilities under RTI. Bihar Information Commission has taken decision to introduce to tech-driven approach to make RTI more strong and popular.

This is the first of its kind initiative by any state government of the India. Launching the facility, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said that after incorporating the video-conference facilities under the RTI for speedy disposal of appeals by applicants at every district headquarter, similar facilities would be extended up to the block-level as well. 

He said that Information Officials were facing difficulties in providing information for cash shortage "we have now decided to ensure contingency fund for the purpose." He said about 93,000 pieces of information had been sought by applicants through 'Jankari call centers' in Bihar after implementation of the RTI Act.

"We will be awarding the 1,00,000th applicant," he said. "We are going to implement the Right to Service Act in Bihar from August 15, 2011," he said adding that it had provisions for dismissal from service in the event of public servants violating the law. 

Chief Information Commissioner (CIC) of India, Satyanand Mishra praised the Bihar government for its innovative efforts for popularizing the RTI Act and said the number of applicants was increasing from 20 to 25 percent every year. 

With many a success story in cities, the Right to Information Act, is reaching the rural areas too with villages using its provisions to redress their grievances.

Sidhakahna Jot Keshav village in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh is one such example.

Five inspired residents of the village filed RTI applications and questioned the district administration about the conditions of the village roads and drains. They also raised questions as why there were no allotments under the Indira Awaas Yojna.

The administration immediately acted and the construction of the roads and drains began in the village. Since then, 32 villagers have been allotted the houses under the Indira Awaas Yojna and the administration has displayed a list on the village wall, containing the names of the villagers eligible for the allotments under the scheme.

RTI is the way to empowering villages.

RTI is like a life line to the rural India. The Act has shown a great potential to transform the life of rural society.

 

However, there are some hurdles.

The true potential of RTI is still to be explored, especially in the rural India where villagers find it very cumbersome to file RTI applications.

The procedure should be simplified and made people friendly.

"Bihar has set a great example by creating a dedicated phone line for RTI. Here RTI can be filed through a phone call. Even an illiterate villager can file his RTI application by a call," he pointed out.

The Act is influencing people to come forward and question the progress on various welfare schemes, creating a positive change in the most backward areas like Eastern UP, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Madhya Pradesh, Assam and in Maharashtra.

Though villages are less aware about the Act than the cities, yet there are villages where RTI is being used. In the villages of Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra awareness about the Act is quite good and they are using the Act. In fact, slum areas of Mumbai have very high level of awareness regarding the RTI Act.

Most questions in RTI applications are related to public distribution system, Ration card, BPL card, Indira Awaas Yojna, lands, irrigation, corruption in the welfare schemes and day to day working of local village administration, says Major Sanjay Yadav, Information Commissioner in UP.

In Allahabad, daily wagers had a tough time arranging a proper meal as they were not receiving rations on their cards. Some 21 villagers prepared RTI applications and questioned the administration. The very next day all the ration card holders got their rations.

Even the most backward sections of rural societies are seeking information related to Prime Minister's Employment Scheme, Indira Awaas Yojna, ration card, midday meal, and uniform distribution in the schools and the conditions of village roads.

There are still some problems in the implementation of the Act in villages but these success stories are the examples of change and through proper awareness and guidance the Act can do wonders. 

Right to Information Act 2005 is hailed as a revolution in India's evolution as a democracy. It empowers the ordinary citizen with the tools of information that propel government decisions.

Thanks to the legislation, citizens can seek -- and get within 30 days - information on how the government arrived at decisions, be it about his ration card application or the money spent on lighting a bridge outside his home. 

           Bihar has become the first state in India to launch a call center under the Right to Information Act. 

           Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who formally opened the call center on Monday, said applicants can call to ask for details and information. Callers will be able to register their complaints in languages like Hindi, Maithili and Bhojpuri.

           "It is not a small thing. People now have the opportunity to know and get information easily through this call center under RTI."

           The chief minister noted that all complaints received at the call center will be passed on to the concerned department officials.