Fatehgarh Sahib, March 12, 2018: Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA) Punjab organised a 3-day Training of Trainers (ToT) programme under the RTI Act, 2005 of District Fatehgarh Sahib here today. 35Officers and Officials of Different Departments 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 CommissionsSo they can further impart the knowledge about the subject to the staff under their control and also the trainees in future programmes.
Sh. AnandSagar Sharma, PCS, Assistant Commissioner (General), Fatehgarh Sahib while launching the event at BachatBhawanFatehgarh Sahib, said that the RTI Act is a significant pro-people instrument aiming to bring about transparency and accountability in administration, besides containing Corruption. 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 3-day programme. He also asked the officers to give 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 250 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 hisgratitudeto the District Administration Fatehgarh Sahib.
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. Sh. YashpaulManvi, Assistant Director (Retd.), Punjab School Education Dept.another expert gave well-structured presentation onExemptions 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 Lawand Dr.Vaishali Thakur, Assistant Professor of Law, Panjab University Regional Centre, Ludhianawill give their lectures on RTI Act. On the Thursday, there will be lectures on relevant subject by the RTI experts and also the Questions and Answers Session.