Arvind Kejriwal, 2006 Magsasay Awardee for "activating the right to information movement at the grassroots" speaks about various aspects of clean governance via Right to Information.

Arvind Kejriwal, an alumnus of IIT (BT/ME/89/IITKGP), who founded the Indian NGO Parivartan that is fighting corruption in India (http://www.parivartan.com/Home.asp), has been given the award for his contribution to the landmark Right To Information law in India and for "activating the right to information movement at the grassroots". He is currently touring the US (where he was also felicitated by ICA) meeting various groups and sharing experiences on clean governance.

What activities are being pursued to ensure and to fight for clean and transparent governance in India through the Right to Information Campaign?

1. Save and preserve RTI - RTI snatches away power from politicians/ corrupt people. Every session of the parliament poses a threat to amend it.
2. Second threat comes from CIC - body setup to promote transparency - but the body has all the former retired bureaucrats and they refuse to penalize the corrupt officers
3. Implementation of RTI at grassroots level - common people unable to file applications. Technology can provide an answer - attempt to convince the government to implement such support.
4. Awareness to RTI - Drive against Bribe - NDTV and HT. To have various such drives in future.
5. To promote research on various issues with respect to RTI. RTI gets you information. Extensive analysis is necessary for this to be useful. You analyze it and then you have to make interventions with the government.

What is the extent of implementation of RTI?

In some states, RTI has not been implemented; in villages people are not aware of the process/ details of RTI.

The information commissioners appointed are the biggest disasters and are making mockery of the RTI. These officers are often retired bureaucrats who themselves do not want RTI to become powerful. Effort is going on to pressurize the government to replace these commissioners with former judges or add former judges.

What are the limitations of RTI?

After getting information about corruption through RTI  - what happens next? The law does nothing to help end corruption after that since there are no checks and balances and the people you send your complaint to are the same. Still RTI empowers the people to a great extent. For example:  Delhi water privatization project was scrapped after information was retrieved under RTI regarding the project.

In addition, there is section 4 under RTI, that demands that the government provide information on their own.

What kind of collaborative effort is happening in India? 

People are coordinating via internet, sharing experiences and best practices, organizing and supporting through out the country.

How can friends of India or people of Indian Origin help?

1. Write petitions and letters to GOI. When people from abroad write letters to president or the PMO - they take notice. We are especially requesting that letters be written about the functioning of CIC.
2. Support fellowships for people working in India fulltime for RTI. RTI is one area where people have hope, many people are giving up their career and joining the RTI campaign; these people need support.
3. Desperately need help on the Freedom of Information Act, USA. One can use this act to find out a great deal about treaties between US and India or policies that affect India. An example is the Nuclear Deal.