RTI Training Programme at EPFO, Zonal Training Institute (East Zone)

Centre for Financial and Regulatory Governance Studies, WBNUJS, Kolkata conducted Training on Right to Information Act, 2005 on March 2nd, 2023 at Employees’ Provident Fund Organization, Zonal Training Institute (East Zone), Kolkata on the invite by the Sh. Anand Manish, RPFC-II, Zonal Training Institute (East Zone). The agenda of the training programme was ‘Implementing NPS and understanding bottlenecks and compliance provisions & Framing of replied under the RTI Act’; wherein, the topic related to RTI was scheduled for the Day-2 of the Training Programme i.e., March 2nd, 2023. The purpose of the training was to create awareness amongst its employees about the importance of the Right to Information Act, 2005 (hereinafter referred to as “the Act”) as well as train them in the implementation of the Act. The training was conducted by Ms. Vaneeta Patnaik, Associate Professor, Director of Centre for Financial and Regulatory Governance Studies (NUJS) and assisted by Ms. Pooja Singh, LLM Student (LLM018222, NUJS).
The training programme was carried out in broadly two sessions. The attendees were introduced to the philosophy behind RTI, an in-depth analysis was done of the various concepts relating to and provided under the Act. The attendees were brought up to speed with the role of RTI in e-governance and how the same translates to RTI being put in practice. The aforementioned information and training was specifically tailored to the experiences and job profiles of the attendees. The attendees were further appraised of the role and obligations of the Public Information Officers (hereinafter referred to as “PIOs”) and Assistant PIOs (“APIOs”), Information Commissions and Appeals under the Act. The obligation to proactively disclose under the Act, was emphasised and extensively examined by the Trainor and the attendees through discussion and various clinical exercises. Due weightage was given upon the role and obligations of PIOs and APIOs in receiving of application, providing information, exemption of information and denial of information. Various case studies were provided to the attendees to better train them on how to identify and deal with vexatious RTI Applications. Clinical exercises were carried out to help the attendees understand various intricacies and nuances involved in responding to RTI Applications. Ms. Vaneeta Patnaik even participated in the valediction ceremony.The RTI training was a success, with the employees showing keen interest in the topic and actively participating in the sessions.