PM Dahal calls for facilitating access to information

 Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has underscored on developing a culture of not only seeking information but also of providing it for corruption control.

In a message of best wishes he gave to a program marking the 17th National Information Day organized by the National Information Commission here today, the PM pointed out the need of having legal provisions that incentivize providing information on topics as bribery, dillydally, wrong decisions and opaque dealings in public entities.

"It is necessary to conduct a study on the 'block chain technology' based on new technology that is used around the world as corruption control measure. Now is high time we do away with the tradition of keeping the personal information, including the assets, of every person holding a public post," the Prime Minister said, adding that there is the risk of corruption thriving due to the prevailing situation of least vigilance by the general public on the works and activities of public officials and the civil society having minimum access to State information.

On the occasion, the Head-of-the-Government complained that the citizenry has not been able to extensively exercise the Right to Information (RTI) despite long time since the implementation of the RTI Act.

"Although the constitution and the laws consider citizens to be the real masters of information retained by all public bodies, it is felt that their access to all sorts of information is not established. Similarly, the public bodies have to be made more responsible and accountable in the implementation of laws," the PM asserted.

As he said, the provision of right to information is not only for a limited number of people who have access to public entities, but it is also for the members of the general public including the peasants, workers, women, Dalits and marginalized communities, who are neglected and oppressed by the State for years.

He also reminded that Nepal's RTI Act is in the list of best RTI laws of the world, saying implementing it in an effective way will help make the government's activities open and transparent in keeping with the democratic norms and in making the governance mechanism responsible and accountable to the citizenry.

"To enhance the access and participation of the masses in the State information is the culture of the democratic system per se," PM Dahal reiterated and stressed on the need of increased use of digital governance in public bodies in Nepal in tune with the rapid development of ICT.

The Prime Minister assured of the government's all types of support to the National Information Commission for enhancing its capacity in the implementation of RTI.

---