Information needs to be transparent, says NIC head

Kavre: Chief Commissioner of National Information Commission (NIC) Mahendra Man Gurung has said that information needs to be made transparent in order to ensure a citizen’s friendly municipal governance. Speaking at an interaction on right to information organised jointly by the NIC and Namobuddha municipality at Bhakundebesi on Friday, he said it is the municipality’s duty to give the information sought by the people.

“Sharing information is to allow the citizens to test the work we have done, hence that opportunity should be provided to the people,” Gurung said.

Mayor of Namobuddha municipality Tanka Prasad Timalsena said that the information officer of the municipality has been directed to provide information within half an hour since the request is received. He also pledged to allocate funds in the policy and programme to run RTI programmes in the municipality.

NIC Commissioner Ratna Prasad Mainali said it is the right of the citizens to know how the revenue they paid has been spent. The RTI provisions make the government transparent and accountable.

At the programme, NIC Secretary Dr Mukunda Prasad Poudel and Under-secretary Kapil Prasad Upadhyaya presented working papers. Local-level representatives, employees and community groups took part in the interaction.