(iii) “Ama Adhikar” a Bhubaneswar based N.G.O. had organized a one day seminar for information seekers, information providers and Appellate Authorities in the context of Capacity Building for Access to Information under the DoPT-UNDP Project. On invitation, Sri D.N. Padhi, Hon’ble State Chief Information Commissioner, Odisha addressed the Workshop as the Chief Guest on 1.3.2008. “Ama Adhikar” had organized this workshop in collaboration with the Gopabandhu Academy of Administration, Bhubaneswar.

(i) Since training of APIOs/ PIOs, 1st Appellate Authorities are of paramount importance for implementation of the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005, the State Commission encouraged all Collectors to organize workshops not only for the officers and officials involved in the process of providing information but also the social  activists, lawyers, educationists, NGOs, opinion leaders etc.

(ii) Funds @ Rs.10, 000/- per District has been placed with all the Collectors of the State with instructions to utilize the funds quickly by holding workshops/seminars on RTI Act, 2005 and Odisha Rules framed thereunder and submit UCs thereof along with two representative photographs and reports on the same indicating the feedback/suggestion made to the State Commission.

The State Commission entrusted Prasar Bharati Commercial Broadcasting Service, All India Radio, Cuttack for broadcasting spots / jingles on the RTI Act,2005 during the running commentary made during Rath Yatra. An amount of Rs.13, 371/- was placed with them for sponsorship of one hour of the programme.

(i) The State Commission assigned printing of the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) on RTI Act, 2005 in eight tribal languages viz: Santali, Sadri, Munda, Kui, Kuvi, Koya, Saora and Desia to the Odisha State Bureau of Textbook Preparation and Production under the Department of Higher Education, Government of Odisha. An amount of Rs.3, 53,000/- was placed with them as advance for printing of the following quantity of booklets:

(ii) Besides, the posters in Oriya encouraging the people to utilize the RTI Act were also translated into these tribal languages and printed by the Odisha State Bureau of Textbook Preparation and Production on behalf of the State Commission and an amount of Rs.43,000/- was placed with them as advance for the purpose.

(iii) All the printed materials were received and appropriately distributed within the State.

For better and early distribution of the booklets on the RTI Act, 2005 as well as the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) in Oriya and the Odisha RTI Rules, 2005, the Revenue Divisional Commissioners were requested to make arrangement for lifting of the same from the Government Press, Cuttack and the Odisha Information Commission. They were requested to assess the requirement of these booklets for the Districts under their jurisdiction and ensure speedy distribution among the targeted groups.

To create awareness on the provisions of RTI Act, 2005 and Odisha Rules framed thereunder, the State Commission had earlier printed a booklet namely “ Soochana Adhikar Aain ,2005 Samparkare Ketoti Janiba Katha” in Oriya through Odisha State Bureau of Text Book Preparation and Production, Bhubaneswar, an organization under Department of Higher Education, Government of Odisha. It was felt necessary to reprint 1, 00,000 copies of the above booklet. Accordingly an advance of Rs. 4, 80,000/- was placed with Text Book Bureau to print the above quantity of books.

In order to meet the requirement of the general public for the RTI Act, 2005, the State Commission decided to print 1, 00,000 copy each of these booklets for distribution. An amount of Rs 1,30,000/- has been placed with the Director, Printing, Stationery and Publication, Odisha as advance during the year.

An amount of Rs. 50,250/- has been placed with the Programme Coordinator Nation Service Scheme (NSS), Sambalpur University, Jyoti Vihar, 17.Sambalpur to impart training of NSS volunteers and Programme Officers of different Colleges under Sambalpur University on the provisions of the RTI Act, 2005 and the Odisha Rules framed thereunder. It has been instructed to furnish details of the programmes organized, list of participants, Utilization Certificate and representative photographs.

For proper implementation of the RTI Act, 2005 and the Odisha Rules framed thereunder, review meetings were undertaken at the level of the Revenue Divisions and the Collectors and District Magistrates, Superintendents of Police, Superintending Engineers of different Engineering Departments, Chief Medical Officers, Divisional Forest Officers and other district level officers of the concerned Revenue Divisions attended the meeting.

The review meeting in respect of the Central Division was held on 5.1.2008 which was attended by Sri D.N. Padhi, Hon’ble State Chief Information Commissioner, Odisha. Similarly, such review meetings were held in Revenue Divisions in Northern Division and Southern Division on 29.12.2007, 23.1.2008 respectively. Sri D.N. Padhi’s Hon’ble State Chief Information Commissioner, Odisha attended the review meeting of the Southern Division, Berhampur and Prof. Radhamohan, ex- State Information Commissioner  attended the meeting of Northern Division, Sambalpur.

Odisha Sangeet Natak Academy organized workshops of “Pala”, “Dasakathia” and folk dance on the RTI Act out of the funds placed for the purpose by the Odisha Information Commission during the year 2006-07. Necessary inputs were provided by Prof. Radhamohan, ex-State Information Commissioner to make the workshops effective.