RTIs, PILs a 'big problem', say MPs in RS

April 28, 2016

New Delhi, Apr 28: Members in Rajya Sabha today termed RTIs and PILs as a "big problem" for the country, with Samajwadi Party member Naresh Agrawal alleging that the Right to Information (RTI) Act was passed "under US pressure".

As some other members also joined in expressing concern during the Question Hour over the misuse of RTI, Government expressed readiness to look into the issue of "misuse" of RTI.

Calling it a law "passed in a hurry", Praful Patel (NCP) said that there is no locus of people seeking answers under RTI. "Some 'panwadi' (betel leaf seller) or 'chaiwala' (tea vendor) can also ask who made a missile programme or anything on international relations," he said.

Seated in the treasury benches, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has frequently referred to his modest origins as a tea seller, began laughing at Patel's reference to tea vendors. Leader of the House Arun Jaitley, who was seated next to Modi, also smiled.

Patel soon sought to make amends by saying he did not make this remark keeping Modi's origin in mind. "There is no disrespect to the Prime Minister. Rather it is an honour," he said.

Under this law, anybody can pay Rs 10 and seek information about missiles, he said and asked "is the government willing to consider amendments in this Act."

Patel said government officials were afraid of taking decisions because of the fear of the RTI. "They wonder what will come out in the RTI. Objectivity is finished. We all have concerns about this," Patel said.

Alleging that RTI law was enacted "under US pressure", SP's Naresh Agarwal wanted to know whether such laws existed in neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh.

When he said something which was not audible in the din, former Union Minister Jairam Ramesh, who is believed to have played an active role in enactment of the RTI during the UPA government, was enraged.

"This is totally wrong," he said evoking a strong response from Agrawal, who reminded that Ramesh is no longer a minister and people "uprooted" Congress due to such "misconceptions".

The SP member went on saying "RTI and PIL are a big problem for the country. So many departments have requested in writing to be kept out of the ambit of RTI."

Rajiv Shukla (Cong) said the RTI was being "misused". "People have got visiting cards printed with RTI activist embossed on them as if it was some designation. What steps are being taken to check such misuse."

Responding to concerns about the misuse, Minister for State Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh said "cognizance of the issue has been taken. Some measures have already been put in place. Perhaps there is scope to bring in some more provisions."

He said that as far as the concern that the law may deter officers from taking initiatives, the "government is equally conerned."

The minister was replying to a question regarding a study by Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative, which said ministries and departments were reluctant and unwilling to share even basic data under the RTI Act.

Singh also claimed that the response to queries under the Act has gone up substantially under the NDA rule and for the first time, all vacant posts of RTI officers have been filled up.

"As per the annual report of the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), 75.27 percent of the Public Authorities have filed their annual returns to the CIC for 2014-15, which is higher than the figure of 72.54 percent for 2013-14, indicating an improved compliance over the previous year," the minister said.

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Average age of school children picking up drugs, smoking habit in 10 Indian cities around 13 years!

News Network

December 13,2025

New Delhi: School-going children are picking up drug and smoking habits and engaging in consumption of alcohol, with the average age of introduction to such harmful substances found to be around 13 years, suggesting a need for earlier interventions as early as primary school, a multi-city survey by AIIMS-Delhi said.

The findings also showed substance use increased in higher grades, with grade XI/XII students two times more likely to report use of substances when compared with grade VIII students. This emphasised the importance of continued prevention and intervention through middle and high school.

The study led by Dr Anju Dhawan of AIIMS's National Drug Dependence Treatment Centre, published in the National Medical Journal of India this month, looks at adolescent substance use across diverse regions.

The survey included 5,920 students from classes 8, 9, 11 and 12 in urban government, private and rural schools across 10 cities -- Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Delhi, Dibrugarh, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jammu, Lucknow, Mumbai, and Ranchi. The data were collected between May 2018 and June 2019.

The average age of initiation for any substance was 12.9 (2.8) years. It was lowest for inhalants (11.3 years) followed by heroin (12.3 years) and opioid pharmaceuticals (without prescription; 12.5 years).

Overall, 15.1 per cent of participants reported lifetime use, 10.3 per cent reported past year use, and 7.2 per cent reported use in the past month of any substance, the study found.

The most common substances used in the past year, after tobacco (4 per cent) and alcohol (3.8 per cent), were opioids (2.8 per cent), followed by cannabis (2 per cent) and inhalants (1.9 per cent). Use of non-prescribed pharmaceutical opioids was most common among opioid users (90.2 per cent).

On being asked, 'Do you think this substance is easily available for a person of your age' separately for each substance category, nearly half the students (46.3 per cent) endorsed that tobacco products and more than one-third of the students (36.5 per cent) agreed that a person of their age can easily procure alcohol products.

Similarly, for Bhang (21.9 per cent), ganja/charas (16.1 per cent), inhalants (15.2 per cent), sedatives (13.7 per cent), opium and heroin (10 per cent each), the students endorsed that these can be easily procured.

About 95 per cent of the children, irrespective of their grade, agreed with the statement that 'drug use is harmful'.

The rates of substance use (any) among boys were significantly higher than those of girls for substance use (ever), use in the past year and use in the past 30 days. Compared to grade VIII students, grade IX students were more likely, and grade XI/XII students were twice as likely to have used any substance (ever).

The likelihood of past-year use of any substance was also higher for grade IX students and for grade XI/XII students as compared to grade VIII students.

About 40 per cent of students mentioned that they had a family member who used tobacco or alcohol each. The use of cannabis (any product) and opioid (any product) by a family member was reported by 8.2 per cent and 3.9 per cent of students, respectively, while the use of other substances, such as inhalants/sedatives by family was 2-3 per cent, the study found.

A relatively smaller percentage of students reported use of tobacco or alcohol among peers as compared to among family members, while a higher percentage reported inhalants, sedatives, cannabis or opioid use among peers.

Children using substances (past year) compared to non-users reported significantly higher any substance use by their family members and peers.

There were 25.7 per cent students who replied 'yes' to the question 'conflicts/fights often occur in your family'. Most students also replied affirmatively to 'family members are aware of how their time is being spent' and 'damily members are aware of with whom they spend their time'.

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