Pradip Pradhan nominated as National Co-Convener of NCPRI
Pradip Pradhan, eminent RTI Activist and State Convener of Odisha Soochana Adhikar
Abhijan has been nominated as National Co-Convener of NCPRI ( National
Campaign for People’s Right to Information) , a
National Form of RTI Activists
working for effective
implementation of RTI Act in the
country as well as undertaking
campaign for Lokpal, Judicial
accountability, Whistle-blowers’
Protection Act , Grievance Redressal law
etc. He enjoys position of one of National Co-conveners along with other
eminent RTI Activists Sri Nikhil Dey, Sri Venkatesh Nayak, Smt. Anjali
Bhardwaj ( New Delhi), Ms. Pankti Josh (
Gujurat), Dr. Shaikh Ghulam Rasool ( J&K) , Rakesh Reddy Dubbudu ( Andhra
Pradesh).
National Campaign for People’s Right to Information
(NCPRI) was founded in 1996. Its founding members included social activists,
journalists, lawyers, professionals, retired civil servants and academics. One
of its primary objectives was to campaign for a national law facilitating the
exercise of the fundamental right to information. NCPRI
played pioneering role in pushing
enactment of Right to Information Act in
the country in 2005.
Since 2005, year of beginning of implementation of Right to Information Act in the country, Sri Pradhan along with few Social Activists started campaign
in Odisha to enforce implementation of RTI Act. At early stage of campaign, he
opposed various draconian provision of Odisha RTI Rules made
by Govt. of Odisha to make the sun-shining law dysfunctional in the state and demanded for its withdrawal. After a long campaign, the State Government on 29th
May, 2006 amended Odisha RTI Rules, first ever amendment of Rules
in the country which reduced application fee from Rs. 20.00 to Rs.
10.00, Fee for information from Rs. 5.00
to Rs. 2.00 etc. But
still Odisha Rules remains anti-people which
is the core of the campaign of
Sri Pradhan for its withdrawal. He
has conducted several trainings, workshops, seminars and
State Conventions each year in
the state. He has filed more than 6000 RTI Applications and exposed
number of corruptions and irregularities
in implementation of Govt. scheme
and Programme. Last year under
his able leadership, National Convention
of NCPRI on Right to Information was
organised in Bhubaneswar, capital city
of Odisha from 14th to 16th
2017. Through RTI , he has also monitored implementation of various programme and functioning of various
Commissions etc. He is the
founder of Odisha Soochana Adhikar Abhijan and leading
this campaign as State Convener
since last 12 years.
Under his leadership, OSAA has been emerged as vibrant network of RTI Activists in the state having its district level
network in 25 districts. Over the years,
hundreds of RTI Activists have joined in this campaign. It has a core body of 70 members at State level which sits
every month to chalk out action
plan to broad-base campaign and take
up various issues affecting the
state. Sri Pradhan has compiled 25
booklets , campaign materials, posters , leaflets on RTI and written a number of articles on RTI related issues, published in local
odia dailies.
We wish all success in his endeavour for enforcing transparent and accountable governance system in the
country in general and Odisha in particular.
Reported by
Sri Akhand, Human Rights Activist
Working Group Member : CSFHR
Core group Member : OSAA
Working Group Member : CSFHR
Core group Member : OSAA
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