As part of its initiative to promote transparency and accountability, the state information commission on Friday organized a day-long state level conference on RTI Act with the theme \u2018RTI and Good Governance\u2019 at the Zonal Council Hall on Friday.\nVarious resource persons from different fields addressed the conference on different topics relating to RTI.
\nChief Information Commissioner, Nagaland Information Commission, P. Talitemjen Ao, IAS (Rtd.) said that the conference was organised to review the implementation of RTI Act in the state in the right perspective.
\nDr. Rajiv Sharma, IAS, Director General, Centre for Good Governance, Hyderabad who chaired the first session, in his keynote address said good governance encompasses important elements like transparency, efficiency and predictability and should not only be confined to the parameters of RTI.
\nC.J Ponraj, IAS Chief Electoral Officer and Principal Secretary, Justice & Law speaking on \u2018RTI and Good Governance\u2019 said that proactive disclosures would cause security threat, communal tension, cornering of vested interests while urging legislators and political leaders to help in improvement of RTI through political leverage.
\nLydia Yeptho, Advocate and Programme Officer RTI, Youth Net, Kohima who spoke on \u2018RTI and Civil Societies\u2019 challenged the young people to flush out corruption and make it a youth movement.
\nSamhita Barooah, Project Manager, North East Network, Guwahati presented an \u2018Overview of RTI journey in other States of India\u2019.
\nThe second session was chaired by Temjen Toy, IAS, Commissioner and Secretary P&AR and Works and Housing.
\nGeoffrey Yaden, Publisher and Editor Nagaland Post who spoke on \u201cPropagation of RTI Culture-Role of Media\u201d. He said that the RTI Act is one of the finest piece of legislation which has provided the media with a useful tool to promote transparency and accountability for a state like Nagaland.
\nDr. Hovito N.Sothu, Associate Professor ATI who spoke on \u201cStrategies for RTI awareness and mass education\u201d dwell on the various activities and training programmes carried out by the ATI in promoting RTI. He stressed the need to involve more NGOs and also suggested that Church can play an important role.
\nAkito Zhimomi, Assistant solicitor General of India, Kohima in absentia gave presentation on \u201cRTI and other laws of the country\u201d which was read out by Hekani Jakhalu.
\nRev. Dr. Chingmak Kijung, Advisor to Commissioners Supreme Court spoke on \u201cRTI-Approaches to maximum disclosure and promotion of open Government\u201d stated that in Nagaland, government try to make sure that the civil society sleep.
\nState Chief Secretary, Lalthara, senior government officials, administrative heads and heads of departments, civil societies and media fraternity attended the conference.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"