70 students attend session on RTI Act

Tribune News service

Bathinda, April 20

The Regional Centre, Bathinda, of the Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA) Punjab organised a one-day RTI Act, 2005 awareness seminar at the Punjabi University Regional Centre on Friday. Over 70 law students pursuing LLB and senior members of the law faculty of Punjabi University Regional Centre participated.

The programme, which has been sponsored by the National Federation of Information Commissions in India (NFICI), aims to generate awareness about RTI Act, 2005 among masses and make government administrative machinery and citizenry more transparent and accountable to problems and grievances of people.

Initiating the discussion, Jarnail Singh, course director (RTI), MGSIPA–cum-regional project director, MGSIPA Regional Centre, Bathinda, said, “This Act has contributed in a big way in empowering the common man and giving relief to the people for finding solutions to their problems.”

He also said that the institute had organised over 300 programmes last year on various subject like RTI, Seva Uttam, office procedure, civil service rules, financial management, soft skills etc. He also distributed participation certificates to students and faculty members.

Dr Puneet Pathak, Assistant Professor, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Dr Nimmi Jindal, head of the Law Department, Punjabi University Regional Centre, Bathinda, and Mandeep Singh, project coordinator, MGSIPA Regional Centre, Bathinda, highlighted various features of the RTI Act and its significance. They also interacted with students after each session and replied to their queries in an academic way by referring various provisions and rules in RTI Act, 2005.