Information Literacy and Right To Information

A Seminar

Presented by Babita

S.R.Govt. College For Women Amritsar

Introduction

• Colin Cambell (a former university librarian of yale) said “ we are drowning in information and starving for knowledge”.

• Information literacy is a survival skill in the new information age.

• information literacy works as a life jacket to save the human brain from unwanted and unnecessary information flood. Instead of drowning , an information literate person knows how to find ,evaluate and use information effectively to solve a particular problem or make a decision.

Definition

• According to ALA(1989)”Information literacy is a set of abilities requiring individuals to recognize when information is needed and have the ability to locate, evaluate and use effectively the needed information”

• It is not only much more than the literal meaning of the binomial word, i.e information and literacy (almost clear to every educated person) but its also beyond knowing how to use an information center or how to find information for research. Computer competency is also just one basic technique in getting ,using and managing information

Historical development of the concept:-

• Network Literacy

• IT Literacy

• Computer Literacy

• Functional Literacy

• Basic Literacy

Qualities of an information literate person

• An information literate person should have

• 1.Awareness

• 2.Inquisitive mind

• 3. Knowledge of resources

• 4.The ability to evaluate and interpret • 5. The ability to Manipulate, Organise& Communicate

PROBLEM OF INFORMATION ACCESS:-

• whatever its meaning or characteristics, one thing is very clear that information is needed to solve problems and to make choices.

• But what will happen if a person recoganises the need of information and even has the ability to evaluate it to make wise decisions but do not have access to that information ,as the information is in government domain strictly guarded by the official secrecy act or by over zealous babus or withheld by the corporate bodies to protect their commercial interests.

• If a person do not get the right information at right time ,the very purpose of IL gets defeated.

• Here the right to information or freedom of information acts come to the help of ordinary citizens.

Right To Information

• Freedom of information is the mother of all rights and liberties. Human beings can fully grow in an environment in which they have the freedom to know and express fearlessely what they know and feel. In a civilized world access to information is essential for citizens to exercise their rights and duties in a society.

• But free access to information especially when it is in government domain is not easy for common man . Governments of the world , whatever be their form have always treated information as a treasured possession. Being a potent tool to gain and maintain political power,

• Democracy means choice which depends upon well informed citizens.

Relationship between IL & RTI

• both are the basic human rights that protect and develop the human life.

• both are considered pre requisites for the successful working of

democracy.

• The initial stage of IL i.e simple literacy is the pre condition for the

success of right to information.

• Only an IL person can rightly use the RTI as he/she is capable of deciding

the what , how , where and when of information .

• all the abilities of an IL person gets wasted in the absence of an effective

RTI act , as the basic ingredient of accessibility of information is missing.

• public awareness is an essential condition for the success of an RTI act &

IL makes the public aware.

• RTI is a way of empowering the citizens and IL provides fundamental

support to it.

• ICTs play a major role in working of both , in fact these techniques are

a basic necessity of IL & are also an essential infrastructure for the

successful working of RTI

• An IL society empowered by an RTI act can contribute a lot for the

development of a nation & in solving its chronic problems like

corruption and poverty etc.

• The effective implementation of both the concepts &their mutual

cooperation will lead to good governance which is a need of the hour.

International scenario

• UNO in its Universal Declaration of Human Rights included it as

article 19th which guarantees the “right to seek, receive and impart

information……..” It also declared September 28th as right to know

day.

• The council of Europe has also adopted the “ European convention

of Human Rights” with a slightly different approach. Instead of

providing the public direct right to information , they have made it a

government duty to disclose information to the public. In 1981 they

issued instructions to the member states to follow some guide lines

which provides the extensive freedom of access to information.

• Swedon & USA have FOI acts since 1960s. Now a days near about

90 countries of the world have these rights on their statute books.

INDIAN SITUATION

• keeping in mind the above need the Indian government

has also empowered its citizens by passing and

executing the RTI Act 2005.

• The act was passed (May 11,2005) and came into force

on 12th October 2005 after the President of India gave

his assent on June15th 2005.

CONCLUSION:-

• Effective RTI act will surely help to develop a culture of democracy ,

which is mandatory for good governance .

• Endemic corruption in our democratic regime can be fought through

public monitoring of government policy and action,

• But merely by having an act does not solve the purpose. More needs to

be done . Public awareness is the first pre requisite , which will come

through literacy especially information literacy

• It is good that we had RIGHT TO EDUCATION as a fundamental right

in our constitution. But public need information literacy to achieve the

desired end .

• The media & NGOs are going to play a great role in educating & informing the

public. Honesty & dedication of course& work is expected from them in order

to fulfill the real aim.

• The role of libraries & librarians is also going to increase in the days to come ,

but as usual their role is totally ignored by the law makers, which is a serious

lapse need to be amended immediately.

• Public libraries can play an effective role in making citizens aware of their

right to information . Conversely Information Commissioners in states can

avail the expertise of librarians in handling ,storing and delivering information.

• THANX

Some of the worth mentioning features of the act

• 1. It will apply to the whole country except Jammu and Kashmir and will cover governing bodies at all levels including government added institutes.

• 2. This act has fulfilled the long standing demand of RTI supporters by bringing under its jurisdiction the security agencies (which otherwise are exempted) when the case pertains to human right violation or corruption in these agencies.

• 3. General public is kept at par with their elected representatives . MPs and MLAs can obtain information directly from any departments instead of the old tradition of asking the minister concerned.

• 4.Besides the provision of having every department its own AIPO, PIO and appellate authority ,there is an independent state information commission and central information commission. These bodies have to present their annual report to their respective governments regarding their activities ,which further is kept before the parliament or assembly as the case may be, by the respective government.

• 5. The provision of daily fine of Rs 250 on denial of information by any public authority is a welcome step and will lead to better and quick response on the part of public authorities.

• 6.The exemption of people below poverty line from paying any fees for obtaining information is another outstanding feature supplemented by the facility to have information in the format and language of ones choice.

• 7. Any type of motivated amendments are discouraged. An amendment to the act can only be made if there is any difficulty in the execution of the act & it should not be after the expiry of two years of the commencement of the act.

• 8:- This law protects and respects the privacy of every individual

SHORT COMING IN THE ACT:- • 1:- Appointment of information commissioner is prone to bias , A

selection committee comprising of prime minister , leader of opposition and a cabinet minister is suggested for the purpose. At the state level PM is to be replaced by CM . The dominance of the committee by political leaders may lead to bias & political horse trading.

• 2:- A range of security & intelligence agencies have been entirely exempted from the law even at the state level. Though the exemption does not apply if the case pertains to an allegation of human rights or corruption in these agencies.

• 3:- The method of imposing fine is also confusing and not appropriate, how can a daily penalty be levied for destruction & falsification of records or the deliberative provision of in accurate or misleading information. How many days are to be calculated for destroying a

• 4:- Lack of provision for prison sentence even for serious offences is another big weakness.

• 5:-The procedure of departmental inquiry is also not acceptable to the RTI supporters. Sometimes if the highest authority is guilty , the inquiry is headed by a junior officer which is prone to bias ,as in the case of Nagarwal in Railway department(14).

• 6:- The emphasis is put on DTF (duty to furnish) information on request, instead of this if the information is provided suo–moto or before the start of any project so many hurdles can be avoided like corruption or agitations . Glaring example is the case of Narmada Sgaar Dam vis a vis Sardar Sarovar project (15).

• 7:- The information requested by one person should automatically published for the entire public if its no privacy is connected with it ,this is to avoid repetition, as is done under Delhi RTI act.

• 8:- It is learnt that the government is planning to amend the act by exempting the file notings from public scrutiny. This will seriously harm the soul of the act ,& is not acceptable to RTI supporters.(16)

• 9:- Along with RTI act we need a Whistle blowers act & lokpal act also against intimidation and victimization of those who dare to expose the wrong doings of their respective departments(17 ).

• 10:- Freedom of information is indispensable ,if access to courts is not to prove a distant dream , as courts need proofs & facts & to collect them especially when they are against the government or its agencies is beyond the power of ordinary victims. So we need to find a way out for this also .

• 11:-Attention need to be paid to the effective management of information resources in government domain & the role of government in dissemination of information.