Governor Jishnu Dev Varma says Right to Information Act strengthens democracy and transparency

Hyderabad: Governor Jishnu Dev Varma said the Right to Information (RTI) Act stands as a pillar of democracy that promotes transparency and empowers citizens. Moreover, he praised the law for enabling ordinary people to question authority and hold public officials accountable.

Jishnu Dev Varma Right to Information Act address at the Hyderabad event

The Governor attended the RTI Week celebrations at Ravindra Bharathi on Thursday as the chief guest. During his address, he lauded the Telangana State Information Commission for clearing over 5,000 pending cases. He said the achievement reflected the state’s strong commitment to good governance.

Further, he pointed out that citizens at the village level were using the RTI Act to monitor how development funds were spent. According to him, this growing awareness has made democracy more participatory and inclusive than ever before.

Quoting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Varma said transparency and accountability form the twin pillars of good governance. Therefore, he urged every officer to act as a “guardian of information” and every citizen to use the RTI responsibly.

Meanwhile, the event saw participation from High Court Judge Justice C.P. Shyam Koshi, State Chief Information Commissioner G. Chandrasekhar Reddy, Home Secretary C.V. Anand, GAD Secretary Ekka, and several RTI Commissioners. In addition, district collectors, senior officials, and RTI activists from across Telangana also attended.

Karimnagar tops Telangana in RTI implementation

Karimnagar district secured the top rank for effective RTI implementation in the state, while Medak and Jangaon districts took the second and third positions, respectively.

Among departments, Hyderabad Water Board Managing Director Ashok Reddy bagged the first prize for best officer. Later, CDMA officer Sridevi received the second prize, and Excise Commissioner Ravikishan took the third.

In recognition of their performance, Home Secretary C.V. Anand, GAD Secretary Ekka, BC Welfare Secretary Balamaya Devi, and High Court Registrar General Govardhan Reddy also received awards for excellence in RTI implementation. As a result, the event highlighted transparency as the core strength of Telangana’s governance.