Proactive disclosure of information under RTI ACT 2005 in village panchayats of Goa

Abstract

Right to information plays a vital role in a democratic country like India. It is widely accepted that information is oxygen to democracy. Its survival and progress depend upon the free flow of information. Proactive disclosures of information under new RTI regimes play an essential role in the rural population's participation and development. Unfortunately, various issues reveal that many public authorities have neglected the Act's proactive disclosure requirements in Goa's Village Panchayats. Goa is a small state in India that has 191 Village Panchayat institutions, considered the vehicles of development of rural areas. Public authorities need to understand the spirit of section 4 of the RTI Act to strengthen the democratic space at the grassroots level institutions (Village Panchayat). This paper analyzes the importance of information for strengthening democracy in rural areas. An attempt has been made to discuss the lists of proactive disclosure of information at Village Panchayats in Goa.