As a part of the Statewide campaign for Right to lnformation in Orissa, a District level Seminar was held at Truck Owners Association Hall in the district headquarters of Anugul on 5th October 2001. Convened by Nari Surakhya Samiti, a leading NGO of the district, the Seminar was attended by about 200 nos. of women delegates hailing from various sections of society, Wage-labourers, Government agencies, NGOs, Mediamen, Lawyers and Social workers,

The highlight of the Seminar was the address by Collector Anugul Sri L.N.Gupta who not only support to the campaign for Right to Information in Orissa but also presented a blueprint of his Action Plan for reforming the district administration rith a view to make it responsive, transparent and accountable. The said Action Plan envisages setting up a District Information and Facilitation Centre to accommodates Public CounteTS, each to cater to a specific significant category of day-to-day administrative services for the people. These five counters are meant for Free legal aid and counseling, SCMng of affidavits and certified copies, Grievance receipt and redressal, Receipt of Treasury Challans and Infoffi1ation on various schemes and projects of the Government. The principle of single-window disposal within a specified deadline shall be followed by the proposed Centre. The various offices under the district administration shall be instructed to display on a large hoarding placed in front of the office the different schemes under operation by them and the expenditures and allotments made against each. The people of the district being largely illiterate, a provision shall be kept for writing down of the contents of what they want to apply for and/or complain about.

Another senior official of the district administration Sri Dharani Dhar Nath, Project Director, DRDA (District Rural Development Agency) addressing the Seminar as its Chief Guest extended his wholehearted support to the cause of legislating Right to Information in Orissa. He however opined that a legal right does not necessarily lead to the empowerment of the people. For instance, the elected women leaders quite often do not attend the Panchayat Samiti meetings themselves and in stead send their male relations to attend on their behalf. Even when they attend the meetings they don't speak out and invariably ask their accompanying male relations to speak on their behalf. In such a situation, there is an imperative need to educate the people as to how to assert their information needs along with the ongoing campaign to legislate the Right to Information.

Sri Swarajya Biswal, Government Advocate at the State Administrative Tribunal, the Chief Speaker observed that he knew out of his personal experience that information was power and the passing of a legislation on Right to Information would prove to be a great step towards people's empowerment, as seen by him in the neighboring State of Madhya Pradesh where the CM Sri Digvijay Singh has made the local administration thoroughly transparent before the people.

Sri Chitta Ranjan Behera. a Social Worker gave a history of the Right to Information movement in the world and India and observed that today or tomorrow Orissa would have its law on Right to Information as has been done in some other States of the country. But if the common people are alert and aware they can influence the Government to bring about a properly drafted Right to Information Act with least number of exemptions, low processing fees, penalty against defaulter officials, deadline oriented and single window disposal of information needs, independent appellate authority and the like.

Such well known persons as Smt Krishna Mohanty of Nabjiban MandaI, Sri Nadia Chand Kanungo a retired forest officer, and Sri Manas Jena, a Social Activist expressed their views and supported the proposal for Right to Information Act for Orissa.

While Smt Smitarani Pattnayak, Secretary Nari Surakhya Samiti had introduced objectives of the Seminar at thc outset, Smt Snigdharani Samant Ray of NSS proposed vote of thanks to the guest and participants at the end. The Seminar was presided over by Dr Minakshi Panda, a lecturer City Women's College, Cuttack.