MGSIPA ORGANISES 2-DAY PROGRAMME ON RTI ACT-2005 AT LUDHIANA

Ludhiana, December 18, 2017: Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA) Punjab organised a 2-day training programme for Senior Officers including Public Information Officers (PIOs) and Assistant Public Information Officers (APIOs) of Municipal Corporation Ludhiana under Right to Information Act, 2005 here today. About 60 participants are taking part in this programme involving huge public interest.

The Training Programme which has been sponsored by Ministry of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Govt. of India aims to sensitise the concerned officers about the Act and also to make them aware about the latest developments based on the judgements of the Central/State Information Commissions.

Sh. Jaskiran Singh, IAS, Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Ludhiana while launching the event at meeting hall of Municipal Corporation Ludhiana, 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 programme. He also asked the officers to give practical shape to the spirit of the Act and provide information available in official records and adhere to the time schedule provided in the Act.

Sh. Jarnail Singh, Course Director (RTI) MGSIPA, Chandigarh –cum- Regional Project Director, MGSIPA Regional Centre, Patiala while highlighting the importance of RTI Act, 2005 training programmes, said the Institute organises over 200 programmes in a year on various subject like RTI, Sevottom, Office Procedure, Civil Service Rules, Financial Management, Soft Skills & etc. Besides proving consultancy, publications and dissemination of ideas/information in an integrated manner. A pool of resource person, experts, of eminence in various disciplines are associated with training programme. He expressed his gratitude to the Municipal Corporation Management.

Eminent RTI expert Sh. DC Gupta, IDAS (Retd.) highlighted salient features, overall view of the RTI Act, Suo-Moto Disclosure of Information by Public Authority and Appointment of PIO's, APIO's, First Appellate Authority by Public Authority, Request for obtaining information, and disposal of request. Dr. Nimmi Jindal, Head of Law Department, Panjabi University Regional Centre, Bathinda another expert gave well-structured presentation on Exemptions from Disclosures etc., Third Party Information, Constitution of State Information Commission, Terms &Conditions of Service, Removal of Information Commissioners.

As part of this programme tomorrow, Dr. Shiv Kumar Dogra, Coordinator for Law, Panjab University Regional Centre, Ludhiana and Sh. Yashpaul Manvi, Assistant Director (Retd.), Punjab School Education Department will give their lectures on RTI Act.

Prominent among those who attended the programme included Mr. Rishi Pal Singh, PCS, Additional Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Ludhiana and Ms. Anita Darshi, PCS, Joint Commissioner, Municipal Corporation Ludhiana.