RTI reinforces faith in democracy, prevents extremism: social activist

Bengaluru, Mar 14: Right to Information Act is not only a tool for transparency, but it also enables a channel of communication between the government and the people, preventing the latter from taking to extremism to get justice, social activist and India’s first information commissioner Wajahat Habibullah said on Monday.

Delivering a lecture on ‘RTI and National Security: Contradiction or Confluence,’ Habibullah said Right to Information allows people to unearth facts that citizens can use to further improve governance. The P K Dey annual memorial lecture was organised by the School for Democracy, Rajasthan.

“RTI should not be used solely to put government on the defensive. It is an effective tool to work with the government in a constructive way,” he said.

Social activist Aruna Roy, who commented on the lecture, took the example of Maoist menace in Chhattisgarh to emphasise that suppression of people’s participation drains their confidence in democratic institutions and democracy itself. “Ask a question about corruption or abuse of power and you are immediately branded as a terrorist,” she said.

The activist said police once called her a Moaist for staying in a village since they didn’t see any point in an educated person working with villagers. “We need to change this mindset. Today, the government is more opaque than ever. People should act to hold the authorities accountable,” she added.

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Mangaluru’s public transport revolution: 100 new govt electric buses to end private ‘trip-cutting’

News Network

December 19,2025

Mangaluru: Public transport in Mangaluru is set for a state-led transformation as the government moves to deploy 100 new electric govt buses to replace unreliable private services. The initiative aims to provide a dependable alternative to private operators who have been frequently "cutting trips," leaving thousands of commuters stranded.

The announcement was made by Deputy Commissioner and MCC Administrator Darshan HV during a public phone-in session. The move specifically targets routes where private bus service has become erratic, ensuring that citizens no longer have to rely on a fluctuating private sector for their daily commute.

Restoring the Govt Presence

The transport crisis was brought to the forefront by Ramayya, a resident of Bajal, who highlighted a growing trend of private buses skipping morning and night trips. With the previous KSRTC (govt) services discontinued, residents have been left without a fallback option.

To fix this, the DC confirmed that the PM-eBus Sewa Scheme will bring 100 government-owned electric buses to the city:

• Phased Deployment: The first 50 of the new 100 government buses are scheduled to arrive by March 2026.

• State Infrastructure: Two new government depots, including one at Mudipu, are being prepared for operations.

• Recruitment: The state has already begun training a new batch of government bus drivers to ensure the fleet is operational the moment it arrives.

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