Despite crores being spent on Information Technology the failure of the Goa Government to regularly update its various websites is unacceptable. Many of the websites have been dysfunctional for long despite tall assurances of e-governance and a digital world. The authorities are also duty bound to ensure proper internet connectivity to every nook and corner of Goa which is our nation’s smallest state. There is no reason why this has not been yet achieved.
Infact Section 4 of the Right to Information Act mandates that all information should be uploaded and regularly updated on all government websites. The lackadaisical approach of the government in not complying with the mandate of the RTI Act defeats the very purpose of the Act which was enacted for the welfare of the masses and meant to usher in transparency in the functioning of government institutions. There is a concern that the websites are intentionally kept non-functional under the guise that they have been hacked only to deny the public their Rightful access to Information.
The then Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had in 2013 assured the Goa Legislative Assembly that people would henceforth not require to seek information under the RTI Act as all file notings would be uploaded on the respective government websites. That assurance of the chief minister never saw the light of the day.
The authorities should also make available on the website the official and private tours of the chief minister and ministers so that the public at large are aware of their whereabouts.
If the government can pour crores of rupees down the drain on needless vanity projects, there is no reason why the government cannot find the money to keep all the websites functional and regularly updated so that the public can freely access all information which they are by law entitled to.
The Corporation of the City of Panaji needs to its bit in promptly updating its website if Panaji is ever to be a Smart city. Despite Rohit Monserrate having taken over as the new Mayor on March 30, the CCP website still shows that the Mayor of Panaji is Uday Madkaikar.
