Barauni, Bihar:
The Right to Information Act (RTI) has inspired many. NDTV brings to you the story of an RTI activist, from Barauni in Bihar, whose relentless campaigns on issues close to the common man have forced change in his town.
Till last year, the post office in Barauni was an ordinary one. The people had to pay premium speed post rates to send RTI inquiries to concerned government departments.
It was the charge for an otherwise free service that slowly discouraged people from filing RTIs.
But when 64-year-old activist, G P Gupta, filed an RTI application questioning this cost, he was told Barauni was paying more because it was not part of the nodal post office network.
Gupta persisted and followed up the case for two years till Barauni was made a nodal post office in December 2008.
''Now, no registry or speed post charges are levied. It has put RTI within the reach of common man,'' said Gupta.
The post office crusader, who has many more RTI successes to his credit, goes about his days clearing the everyday hurdles of Barauni, always in search of a slip-up to set right.
Till last year, the post office in Barauni was an ordinary one. The people had to pay premium speed post rates to send RTI inquiries to concerned government departments.
It was the charge for an otherwise free service that slowly discouraged people from filing RTIs.
But when 64-year-old activist, G P Gupta, filed an RTI application questioning this cost, he was told Barauni was paying more because it was not part of the nodal post office network.
Gupta persisted and followed up the case for two years till Barauni was made a nodal post office in December 2008.
''Now, no registry or speed post charges are levied. It has put RTI within the reach of common man,'' said Gupta.
The post office crusader, who has many more RTI successes to his credit, goes about his days clearing the everyday hurdles of Barauni, always in search of a slip-up to set right.
