Proactive Disclosures Under the Right To Information Act By Dr. Jairaj Phatak Municipal Commissioner, MCGM

Urban Imperatives Trend towards greater urbanization Growing complexity of urban management Demanding customers/citizens Therefore superior use of ICT is the only way to improve G2C services Chapter-II, Section 4 of the Right to Information Act asks public authorities to give access to records through a network all over the country. In addition annual reports of information about the Municipal Corporation are brought out.

Mumbai - A Glimpse of Complexity Area Sq.Km Population Crores Employees Lakhs Annual Budget - Rs 19,500 Crores No. of Wards - 24 No of Hospitals-25 No of Beds No of Schools No of School Children - 5 lakhs Garbage – 8,000 tons/ day

Citizen’s Portal Home page Information about the Corporation Information about MCGM services Citizen services Online complaint management system Departments Ward management Employee services Corporate communication Disaster management Ranked 32 nd in the World by The American Institute of Public Administration

24 Administrative Ward Offices Ward Office is Public Interface to Citizens for routine services online as well as offline like Solid Waste Management Services Complaint Redressal System Shop & Establishment Registration Licenses Trade Licenses Health Licenses Building & Factory Permits Civil Works of Municipal Properties Birth & Death Certificate Pest Control Services Gardens and Trees (Maintenance & Permissions) Permission to temporary use MCGM properties New Water Connections & Water Works (Operations) Market Department Check Application Status

Complaint Management System Multiple Channels for lodging complaints

Improved Efficiency in Citizen Services Ward Management Administrative Reforms Automated workflows of all ward processes SLA based Escalations Citizen’s Portal Single window for all 100 ward based standardised services Web enabled Facility to receive any payment in any ward or thru the web. RTI Act related information available thru the net (Planned).

Right To Information Act, (2) It shall be a constant endeavour of every public authority to take steps in accordance with the requirement of Clause (5) of Sub-section (1) to provide as much information suo motu to the public at regular intervals through various means of communications, including internet so that the public have minimum resort to the use of this Act to obtain information. (3)For purposes of Sub-section(1), every information shall be disseminated widely and in such form and manner which is easily accessible to the public.

Statesmen must educate, teach always because the greatest duty of a statesman is to educate. Educating, teaching that was the high mark in Roosevelt’s dictionary, for it meant assuring his leadership to people- Roosevelt’s way with the press also showed his mastery of the government. He made so much news and maintained such a friendly attitude towards the newespapermen that he quickly and easily won their sympathy. Franklin Delano Roosevelt(Press Conferences)

Never can there have been a closer, a more intense union of the leader and the led ….his mastery of radio was something never before known. His stature increased. He glowed and gave out light. The people responded. (The Democratic Roosevelt.. Thgwell) You are the first President to come into our homes; to make us feel that you are working for us; to let us know what you are doing. Until last night, to me, the President of the U.S. was merely a legend. A picture to look at. A newspaper item. But you are real. I know your voice; what you are trying to do. Give radio credit. But to you goes the greater credit for your courage to use it as you have. (Goldstein to FDR ) Citizens about Franklin Delano Roosevelt

One hour press conference from to p.m. each Friday. 15 minutes for each of the four Additional Municipal Commissioners. Batting order decided as per the priorities of issue. Code of conduct for the journalists, first prepared by Corporation but now adopted by them. Press conferences best way to let the citizens know what Corporation is doing for them. Weekly Press Conferences in MCGM

Press allowed to sit in Corporation Meetings and important Committees In the Mumbai pattern, press is allowed to sit in Corporation meetings as well as in Standing and other Committees. In the Pune pattern, press is allowed only in Corporation meetings. Standing Committee is treated more like the State cabinet. Mumbai pattern more transparent.

Public Disclosure Law All local bodies from MCGM upto the smallest Panchayat publish their information on a periodical basis. In the smallest Panchayat, it could be on the village notice board while in the large Municipal Corporations, it is through annual report and also the website. We have not yet started our monthly newsletter although there is a thinking about the same. Almost half the states in India have enacted public disclosure law as per the mandatory requirements under the JNNURM. Citizens are thus aware about the works undertaken by the local body.

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