Activities

To Realise "Anti Corruption Objective"

1. To get remedy for citizens particularly the common man by use of the Right to Information Act
2. Curb Corruption in Government and Public Sector, both of elected representatives and officials
3. Prevent Corruption in Private Sector
4. Get support from other Pillars and extend support to other Pillars in fighting corruption
5. Organising the “bribe-givers” against bribe
6. “No bribe-Red badges” to be given to honest officials and workers
7. To work for Stricter laws to curb corruption and ensure stronger action
8. Make propaganda against corruption and create awareness
9. Get information on the evils of corruption in the school curriculum
10. Information sharing and dissemination
11. Recognition of Honest Men
12. Giving HONESTY Award to Offices where every one is honest.

Recognition of honest elected representatives

  Parameters for Performance Assessment:

• Work knowledge of elected office
• Accessibility
• Honesty
• Work turnout
• Results

Activities Related to RTI

1. Making full use of the RTI
The most important activity of the 5th Pillar is to make the best use of the Right to Information Act. It is indeed the best and wonderful gift given by our rulers to the people. The 5th pillar chapters will create awareness and educate people in order that they make the best use of the Right to information Act.

2. Awareness among the poor & uneducated
In respect of the uneducated and the poor there is disuse of the Act. The 5th Pillar Chapters will focus on creating huge awareness among the poor and illiterates to make the ACT familiar to them and guide them to make the best use of the Act.

3. Prevention of Misuse of RTI
No doubt the Right to Information Act is a big gift. At the same time the ACT cannot be misused or abused. We have instances of wrong use of it. There are people for whom the misuse has become a hobby or pastime .They keep shooting letters under RTI. For some others it is sadism that drives them. The third category is those who misuse the ACT to harass someone whom they don’t like or have enmity. The 5th pillar will also create awareness against the misuse of the RTI Act. If it is misused, the very Act may vanish one day.

TOOLS TO MAKE RTI VERY EFFECTIVE

1. Use of RTI ACT

The Right to Information act no doubt is something better than nothing. The RTI Act alone will not deliver goods in corruption elimination and its prevention. 5th pillar will provide a few other tools to make the whole exercise quite effective.

2. 5th Pillar organisational Back up

The second tool is to give organizational backup to the Information Seeker under RTI. The 5th Pillar will do from A to Z, most importantly providing the courage and confidence to the Information Seeker as well as technical / legal expertise. In other words he will get organisational support (5th Pillar) and guidance

3. People’s Inspection & Audit

The third tool is People’s Inspection & Audit by the 5th pillar. For example a person may seek information under RTI Act about the road which has been laid by the local body and its specifications. The concerned department will provide him the details. If the information is not adequate and also found to be incorrect, the 5th pillar will do People’s Inspection & Audit of the Road. The 5th Pillar People’s Audit cum Inspection team will comprise of a Road Engineer, a Lawyer and an Auditor and if possible a Cost Accountant. These talents are after all available within the community. After all these facilities and infrastructures are made, to benefit people.

The 5th Pillar will involve people the very people to fight corruption. The People Audit Team will go, inspect and verify whether the road has been laid as per specifications. They will do the quality test. The team will prepare reports and will even publish through newspapers / TV (4th Pillar) and website as well as circulate among the public. 5th Pillar will also go to court (3rd Pillar) and seek remedy (e.g. PIL). When all these are carried out together, without doubt, people will have sturdier roads.