Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration (MGSIPA) Punjab organized a 2-day training program for Public Information Officers (PIOs), Assistant Public Information Officers (APIOs) and Concerned Staff of different departments of District Ferozepur under Right to Information Act, 2005 at District Administrative Complex which concluded here today. About 35 participants took part in this program involving huge public interest. Mr. Ranjit Singh, Assistant Commissioner (General), Ferozepur while presiding the valediction ceremony of the event today said that the RTI Act is a significant pro-people instrument aiming to bring about transparency and accountability in administration, besides containing the tendency of corrupt practices. 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 2-day program. He also asked the officers to give information available in official records and adhere to the time schedule provided in the Act. He also presented participation certificate to the functionaries who joined this two days program. Sh. Jarnail Singh, Course Director (RTI) MGSIPA, Chandigarh while highlighting the importance of RTI Act, 2005 said that these training programs have been sponsored by Ministry of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Govt. of India which aims to sensitize the concerned officers about the Act and also to make them aware about the latest developments based on the Judgments of the Central/State Information Commissions.
He said that MGSIPA Institute organizes over 250 programmes in a year on various subject like RTI, Sevottom, Office Procedure, Civil Service Rules, Induction Training Program (ITP), COMMIT, 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 program. He expressed his gratitude to the Municipal Corporation Management.Eminent RTI expert Dr. Nimmi Jindal HOD, Law Dept. Punjabi University Regional Center Bathinda, Mr. Kashmir Lal Advocate and Mandeep singh coordinator MGSIPA Regional Center Bathinda delivered lectures on salient features, overall view of the RTI Act, Background of Enactment of RTI Act and Section 1,2,3, Suo-Moto Disclosure of Information by Public Authority (Section 4), Appointment of PIOs, APIOs, First Appellate Authority by Public Authority, Request for obtaining information, disposal of request (Section 5,6,7), Exemptions from Disclosures etc., Third Party Information (Section 8,9,10,11), Constitution of State Information Commission, Terms & Conditions of Service, Removal of Information Commissioners (Section 15,16,17), Filing of Complaints & Appeals with State Information Commission, Imposition of Penalty & Grant of Compensation (Section 18,19,20), Protection of Action, Overriding effect of RTI Act, Bar of Jurisdiction of Courts, Organizations exempted from RTI Act & Misc. (Section 21 to 31), Punjab RTI Rules, 2017, Case Study & Quiz on RTI Act, 2005. On the first day of training programme, Mandeep Singh , Project Coordinator, MGSIPA Regional Centre, gave detailed introduction about the training programme.