Imphal, February 15, 2010: State Information Commissioner, Ch Birendra today said that government authorities are not willing to provide information to the RTI applicants.

Instead of helping information seekers, they ill-treated them.

Speaking as chief guest at the inaugural function of a programme, organised by the Macha Leima in association with State Academy of Training on �First Citizen Authority RTI information� at State Guest House, the commissioner further said that the attitude of the information officers towards the RTI applicants has build up a bad relation with the people.

Now, time has come to leave the old ideology of maintaining "official secrecy".

They should not delay in providing information to applicants intentionally.

Secretary to Governor of Manipur, RK Nimai who also attended the programme as moderator of the discussion session said that public authority of RTI should not take people seeking information under Right to Information Act as their rivals; instead they should be treated as government partner as the RTI Act has been enacted with the objective of transparency and accountability in government administration.

He also stressed the need of information officers to have thorough knowledge of the provisions of the RTI Act and provide the information sought by the applicants if it is bound by the RTI Act.

The PDS scheme which could not be effectively implemented could be rectified if beneficiaries take the help of the RTI and authorities also provided the information seek by applicants well in time, he went on to observe.

Faculty member of the State Academy of Training, Ch Narendra who presided over the function observed that since the enactment of the RTI Act in the country many government officers who are not sincere in discharging their duties have started facing problems.

SIPO�s should maintained good relationship with the applicants seeking information under RTI.

If not many untoward incident may occur.

They should have a thorough knowledge of what the act bound to do.

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