National Federation of Information Commissions Holds Board Meeting in Sikkim
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Gangtok, Dec 4 (NationPress) Heeralal Samariya, the Chief Information Commissioner of India, presided over the 31st Board of Governors meeting of the National Federation of Information Commissions in India (NFICI) in Gangtok on Wednesday, as informed by officials.
The 31st Board of Governors meeting took place under the sponsorship of the Sikkim Information Commission.
NFICI was established in 2009 to promote collaboration and mutual dialogue between the Central Information Commission and the various State Information Commissions formed under the Right to Information Act of 2005.
The meeting saw the participation of Chief Information Commissioners (CIC) from State Commissions, who were elected to represent different zones within the board.
Also present were Brigadier Vipin Chakrawarti, the Honorary Secretary of NFICI, Sarvottam Rana, the Executive Secretary of NFICI, and Roshni Rai, the Secretary of the State Information Commission of Sikkim.
During the board meeting, members unanimously approved the minutes from the 30th Board Meeting held in New Delhi the previous year. Following this endorsement, discussions shifted towards crucial topics addressing the challenges faced by various State Information Commissions across the nation.
Considerable time was dedicated to reviewing the budgetary provisions for NFICI. This review included a thorough evaluation of current funding levels, possible increases in fiscal support, and strategies to enhance resource allocation among the commissions.
The Board engaged in fruitful and constructive conversations aimed at improving the efficacy and outreach of the Right to Information Act 2005. Numerous initiatives were suggested to boost awareness of citizens' rights under the Act and to streamline processes related to information requests, thereby ensuring adherence to principles of transparency and accountability. The discussions fostered a collaborative spirit aimed at cultivating a more informed and engaged citizenry.
Heeralal Samariya expressed gratitude for the efforts made by the Sikkim State Information Commission in hosting the 31st Board Meeting.
The meeting concluded with a formal vote of thanks by Pradeep Vyas, the State Chief Information Commissioner of Maharashtra.
