Ganderbal, Dec 14: Under the aegis of ‘Viksit Bharat @ 2047: Voice of Youth,’ the School of Legal Studies (SLS) and the Department of Economics, Central University of Kashmir (CUKashmir) Thursday organised an extension lecture and essay competition, respectively here.
The SLS organised the extension lecture for the students on “Right to Information and Good Governance,” by the former Chief Information Commissioner, Mr. G R Sofi.
Addressing the participants, Mr. Sofi said, the Right to Information (RTI) Act is playing a vital role in promoting good governance across the country by fostering transparency, accountability, and citizen participation. “RTI has given power to the powerless and has ensured transparency and accountability in the Government run departments,” he said. Mr. Sofi said the Act has significantly increased transparency by allowing citizens to access information about government functioning, policies, and decisions. “The government functionaries are compelled to disclose information proactively, reducing the likelihood of corruption and ensuring accountability in governance,” he further said. He added that the revolutionary Act if used properly will curb the malpractices and scams.
Speaking on the occasion, Head and Dean Department of Law, Prof. Farooq Ahmad Mir, asked the students to proactively use the RTI Act for seeking relevant information from the Government institutions, about the issues and problems confronted by the masses. He said the objective of organising the lecture is to acquaint the students about various facets of the RTI Act, which is serving as a check on the arbitrary exercise of power by public authorities, ensuring that decisions are made in accordance with established norms and procedures. Faculty members of the department were also present on the occasion.
Asst Prof. Mr. Mohammad Yousuf Dar conducted the programme and Academic Coordinator, Dr. Hilal Ahmad Najar proposed the vote of thanks.
Meanwhile, the Department of Economics organised an essay competition on the theme “India’s March towards Sustainable Development Goals” in which the students undergoing PG programme participated.
The event aimed to foster creativity and forward-thinking among the participants. The essay competition was held under the guidance of the Department Coordinator Dr. Masroor Ahmad and other faculty members. The essays will be evaluated by the Departmental Research Committee who will select the best three essays for the award of certificates of appreciation.