RTI awareness in Maharashtra phenomenally high

MUMBAI: Marked by relentless campaigning by activists and media, Maharshtra has recorded highest number of interventions under Right to information Act in 2006.

"Dogged efforts of social activists like Anna Hazare and Shailesh Gandhi, along with media support has evoked a phenomenally high response from people of Maharashtra compared to other states," SV Joshi, Chief Information Commissioner of the state said.

Since the implementation of RTI Act in October 2005, till December 2006, 1.24 lakh applications were received. Of this 1.13 lakh were disposed of.

Andhra Pradesh, which implemented RTI Act at the same time, received 8,864 queries, of which 7,574 had been cleared.

"At the Centre, till March 2006 applications received were 24,436 and 21,049 disposed of. Even if we double the applications received to approximately 50,000 still it remains far behind Maharashtra," Joshi said.

Of the 33 departments in the state, maximum applications have been for Urban Development department (23,552), followed by Revenue (17,629), Rural Development (11,921), Housing (8,801), Home (8,236), Industries, Energy and Labour (7,501),
Cooperation (6,692) among others.

"This shows that there has been response from urban and rural areas. Also it indicates that people seek more information from these departments as the issues are relevant to their lives," the state CIC said.