2-DAY RTI TRAINING FOR PIOs and APIOs of DISTRICT LUDHIANA CONCLUDES

Ludhiana, January 11, 2019: Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA) Punjab organized a 2-day training program for Public Information Officers (PIOs), Assistant Public Information Officers (APIOs) and Concerned Staff of different departments of District Ludhiana under Right to Information Act, 2005 at Bachat Bhawan which concluded here today. About 45 participants took part in this program involving huge public interest.

Mr. Jarnail Singh, Course Director and Coordinator (RTI) MGSIPA, Chandigarh while interacting with the participants at the valediction ceremony of the event today said that the RTI Act is a significant pro-people instrument aiming to bring about transparency and accountability in administration, besides containing the tendency of corrupt practices. He said that this is also an important tool for empowerment of the common man and encouraged the officers to update their knowledge about this Act on the basis of knowledge imparted by the RTI experts in this 2-day program. He also asked the officers to give information available in official records and adhere to the time schedule provided in the Act. He also presented participation certificate to the functionaries who joined this two days program.

While highlighting the importance of RTI Act, 2005 Mr. Jarnail Singh further said that these training programs have been sponsored by Ministry of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Govt. of India which aims to sensitize the concerned officers about the Act and also to make them aware about the latest developments based on the Judgments of the Central/State Information Commissions. He expressed gratitude to the District Administration for hosting the event and providing requisite infrastructural support.

Eminent RTI expert Mr. DC Gupta, IDAS (Retd.), Dr. Vaishali Thakur, Professor, Law Dept., Panjab University Regional Centre, Ludhiana, Dr. Shiv Kumar Dogra, Coordinator for Law, Panjab University Regional Centre, Ludhiana and Mr. Yashpaul Manvi, Assistant Director (Retd.), Punjab School Education Dept. delivered lectures on different aspects and sections of RTI Act.

On the first day of the RTI training programme, Mr. Amarjeet Singh Sodhi, Project Coordinator, MGSIPA Regional Centre, Patiala gave detailed introduction and objectives of the training programme.