GS4 PYQ (Mains Answer Writing): Public Interest, RTI Act 2005 | UPSC Mains: Ethics, Integrity & Aptitude PDF Download

(A) What is meant by public interest? What are the principles and procedures to be followed by the civil servants in public interest? (UPSC MAINS GS4 )

Public Interest is anything that affects the rights, health, or finance of the public at large. Public interest is a common concern among citizens in the management and affairs of local, state, and national government. Like the Prime Minister had said that civil servant should consider every action in public interest, which means the ultimate aim should be the welfare of the masses. The principles and procedures to be followed by the civil servants in public interest are: Selfless service, Openness, Accountability etc.

• Civil servants shall perform their official duties in compliance with the Constitution and law. When performing their operations, civil servants shall act exclusively in the public interest. 
• Civil servants shall ensure equal treatment of the citizens and the legal entities when performing official duties. 
• Civil servants shall perform their activities in the most conscientious, direct, the most efficient, timely and methodical manner in the interest of the citizens and the other entities in realizing their rights, duties and interests. 
• When communicating with citizens and other legal entities, the civil servants shall act in a manner that enables establishment of relations of mutual confidence and cooperation between these entities and the administration. 
• In their relations with the citizens and the other legal entities, the civil servants shall show understanding, courtesy, respectability and highest possible will to help and shall not impede the realization of their rights and interests.

Topics Covered - Public Interest

(B) “The Right to Information Act is not all about citizens’ empowerment alone, it essentially redefines the concept of accountability”. Discuss. (UPSC MAINS GS4 )

The RTI Act has completed 10 years, and there are at least 50 lakh RTI applications being filed annually. RTI offers the real empowerment and sense of hope to every Indian citizen. It has redefined the concept of accountability by creating a new breed of activism and citizenship, as it has begun to encourage a culture of asking questions. 

• Information on issues related to public distribution system, privatisation initiatives, pensions, road repairs, electricity connections, telecom complaints etc. have been sought by people through the RTI. It is a strong deterrent against wrong doing in officialdom and thereby a potent tool to reduce corruption. A vast number of organisations have been covered under the definition of Public Authority. 
• In over one decade of being it’s in force, ordinary citizens have used this law to question various acts of commission and omission on part of government. It played big role in exposing the Adarsh scam, irregularity in MGNREGA and other schemes.The largest role played by RTI has been in institutionalising social audit. Indeed, RTI has been the weapon of the weak and set India’s accountability landscape in a ground-up manner. 
• Worldwide there is increasing recognition that citizens’ involvement is imperative for enhancing democratic governance, improving service delivery, and fostering empowerment. “Demand for Good Governance” refers to the ability of citizens, civil society organisations and other non-state actors to hold the state accountable and make it responsive to their needs thereby highlighting the importance of social accountability in this context. 
• UNDP defines social accountability as, “a form of accountability which emerges from actions by citizens and civil society organisation (CSOs) aimed at holding the state to account, as well as efforts by government and other actors (media, private sector, donors) to support these actions”. Thus, social accountability has the potential for ensuring a more relevant policy process, increased transparency and ultimately good governance.

Though the legislation has certainly increased transparency and accountability in public bodies but it still lacks in various things: 

• Poor quality of information is provided, which forces the applicant to go on appeal. In many cases the information is not provided within 30 days. 
• It has been seen that there is lack of attitudinal change on the part of PIOs and bureaucrats, as they generally invoke the Official Secrets Act to deny the information. 
• Lack of political will to enforce the law as is evident in attempts to dilute the Act and not adhering to the order of CIC on applying the Act to political parties has also been witnessed. 
• A vast number of organisations that should have been covered under the Act have not come forward pro-actively to be covered by the Act.

Topics Covered - RTI ACT