Of the people, by the people , For the People

Vox Populi

The Man
Arvind Kejriwal

The Mission
Make the government accountable and transparent

What’s the Big Deal?
Fought hard to implement the RTI Act

The Outcome
In three years, the number of citizens demanding information has gone up 11 times

The Challenges
Lack of political will and stalling by the bureaucracy

The Hope
Progressive politicians like Nitish Kumar have bought into the vision. Others may follow

Arvind Kejriwal emerged into the spotlight as one of the key figures who eventually got the government to accede to the Right to Information (RTI) Act.

“The problem in our country is that every government authority wants everybody else to become transparent, except them,” he says. “Did you know,” he asks with an air of incredulity, “the first office that asked to be excused from the RTI soon after it was enacted was the office of the President of India?”

But he has managed to pull off a few coups. The project Jaankari, for instance, a system that cuts through red tape — filling in forms; filing them in designated offices; paying the designated fees of Rs. 10 only by demand draft — and allows people to simply call in, state their name and address and ask for information.

Image: Prashant Ravi for Forbes India

“The problem in our country is that every government authority wants everybody else to become transparent, except them,” says Krejiwal

The system works as a proxy for an RTI application, amd the Rs. 10 fee is billed to the caller’s phone bill.

It was dissed by every chief minister he visited, except Nitish Kumar in Bihar. By the end of October 2008, the call centre received 10,331 applications and appeals. The queries were generated from across the state. The maximum number pertained to the ministry of rural development. The beneficiaries include 85 million people in 38,475 villages. But in the absence of political will, two years after it was conceived, the innovation finds itself confined only to Bihar.

“Last year, the central government initiated the process of replicating the facility on a national level. It suggested the Delhi government take the lead. But it declined,” says Kejriwal with a shrug.
On her part, Sheila Dixit, chief minister of Delhi, says it is difficult to compare a city state like Delhi with Bihar. “Delhi has an urban population and information is more accessible here unlike in Bihar. Our system is good for Delhi,” says Dixit. But she is also quick to admit the Bihar initiative ought to be replicated in other states.

Kejriwal points out that many innovations, often undertaken by governments without too much prompting, are yet to be replicated across the country. “The Karnataka government’s Bhoomi project, which computerised all land records and placed them on the Internet, was a huge step towards transparency,” he says.

The new government at the centre has promised to strengthen the Act by amending it. But Kejriwal reserves judgment. “You should take such government statements with a pinch of salt. In any case the devil lies in the detail of these enactments. In the past the government has amended the ‘Prevention of Corruption Act’ and brought even retired government officials under government protection in the name of ushering in an honest regime,” says Kejriwal.

“Why doesn’t the government analyse and put out the most sought after information under RTI? That will show real intent,” he says.

Case in point? The Madhya Pradesh government, under Digvijay Singh in 2002, amended the law to give the gram sabha (the general village assembly) powers to withhold the salaries of erring local officials. The move had an immediate impact on delivery of services at the ground level.
Deep down, Kejriwal knows legislation is not enough. What we need is more political will, more Nitish Kumars and Digvijay Singhs.