The principal objective of the Consultation was the presentation of the newly released Government of Orissa's Draft Bill for Orissa Right to Information Act 2002 before the participants of the Consultation, who came from cross sections of public and inviting the response of the latter thereto from their respective perspectives. Welcoming the participants Sri Basant Mohanty State Director, CARE Orissa observed that with a view to invite suggestions for improvement of the Draft Bill on Orissa R.T.I. the Consultation has been organized involving the people from both government and civil society. Sri R.Balakrishnan, Secretary I and PR Department, Orissa while speaking on his expectations from the participants on the Draft Bill observed that he wanted inputs from everybody both about how to improve its contents and more importantly how to strategise the course ahead for its final enactment and implementation thereof. He expressed his hope that the Chief Minister of Orissa, who himself is enthusiastic about introducing a progressive R.T.I. legislation in the State would take necessary steps for moving it in the Assembly once the Draft Bill is finalized.
Sri Bharat Dogra Convenor NCPRI (National Campaign for People's Right to Information), who was the main speaker of the day briefly touched upon the advocacy movements that took place in States like Rajasthan and Delhi for legislating R.T.I. there. Sri Dogra hoped that the people of Orissa would learn a lot from these movements to advance the cause of R.T.I. movement here.
Sri Joe Mediath, Executive Director, Gram Vikas while giving his perspective on the Draft Bill on Orissa R.T.I. observed that the judiciary which affects the day to day life of the common people in a large way need be brought under the purview of the public authorities to be made accountable for disclosing the information to the citizens.
Sri Jugal Kishore Mahapatra, Seretary to Chief Minister Orissa and Commissioner-cum- Secretary, Public Enterprises Department recounting the course of how the R.T.I. process began in Orissa said that the Chief Minister while paying his tribute to late Navakrishna Chowdhury, the first Chief Minister of Orissa, who was a symbol of integrity and transparency, decided to dedicate the proposed law on R.T.I. to his memory. Sri Mahapatra further felt that Right to Information would prove an antidote to all pervasive corruption in public life and so many other malaises crippling the present society.
Sri Aurobinda Behera, M.D. Orissa State Disaster Mitigation Authority and State Relief Commissioner commenting on the provisions of the Draft Bill observed that there was no reason why the political parties won't be considered as public authorities and liable to disclose information to the people under the proposed Draft Bill on R.T.I. Sri Behera however took exception to the expression, 'right to inspect ' of the citizens in the Draft Bill, which is likely to be misused in the present day scenario. He however supported the overall objectives that lay behind the Draft Bill for R.T.I.
Sri Rai Charan Das, a former Addl. Secretary Department of Revinue, Orissa spoke on the several lacuna of the Draft Bill, which if not removed, might defeat the very objectives of the proposed legislation.
Two grass root Officers of the State Government, namely Sri Aswini Vaishnaw, Collectoer Cuttack and Smt. Sanjita Das, B.D.O. Jagatsinghpur gave their respective views on the implementation of R.T.I. at the level of local administration. While Sri Vaishnaw emphasized the need for documentation of information and devolution of administrative powers in local offices so as to help the citizens' access to information they seek, Smt. Sanjita Das expressed her apprehension about the 'right to inspect' under R.T.I. to be misused.
Ms. Soumya a spokesperson of MKSS (Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan) of Rajasthan narrated and also showed a film on the movement for R.T.I. which their organization conducted. Mr Arvind of Paribartan who is an activist of R.T.I in Delhi spoke on how they influenced the R.T.I. legislation and also help the common people avail the benefits under R.T.I.
The next day started with the Session on R.T.I. significance and possibilities of its misuse. Mr. Bharat Dogra of NCPRI was the moderator, while Mr. Santosh Kumar Satpathy, Addl. Secretary to C.M. Orissa was the panelist. Mr. Lambodar Naik a senior executive of CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions), Orissa Branch and Mr. Jogendra Tripathy of Hind Mazdoor Sabha extended their full support to the proposal for bringing about an R.T.I. Act in the State. Mr. Satakodi Hota , Editor SAMAYA, a leading Oriya daily of the State did also express his opinion favouring R.T.I. legislation in the State.
Mr. Chittaranjan Behera an R.T.I. activist in Orissa, who was the panelist in the last session of the day, i.e. on implementation strategies, observed that a new Section on 'Compensation to the aggrieved information seeker' need be added to the existing body of Draft Bill for R.T.I. 2002. The political parties and the administrative wings of the judiciary need be added to the list of public authorities accountable to disclose information under the proposed Draft Bill. He further opined that the Govt proposed Draft Bill should be advertised in the leading Oriya news papers of the State so as to elicit the opinion and views of the people at large on its provisions. A special committee should be appointed to receive the suggestions received from among the public on the Draft Bill, document and compile them, and prepare the final draft incorporating the important suggestions so put forth. The final draft that would emerge through this process might be presented in the Orissa Legislative Assembly. The Department of Information and Public Relations should organize District level Consultations on the proposed Draft Bill on R.T.I. through its district offices involving cross sections of the public.
Mr.R.Balkrishnan, Secretary I and PR, Orissa who was also present through out the 2nd day observed that he would share the new inputs received from the Consultation with others concerned in the Government and hoped that Orissa might have best of R.T.I. legislations in the country with the active support from the civil society.