What if we are able to get politicians to compete on real issues? What if they are forced to refer to facts and figures in specific terms when they reach out to the people for re-election? The work of IndiaGoverns really focuses on this core idea.

As a starting point, we have taken the data from government sources in Karnataka at the local level, and organised it along MLA constituency boundaries. Based on this, we have prepared one page reports on Education Indicators, and have sent it to MLA in the state. (Pl see http://www.indiagoverns.org/summaries/ to access the reports.) We have chosen data for education for a year which is even before this set of MLAs was elected in 2008. Our next report on education will be current, and will show the progress during his tenure.

The real challenge for us is to reach such data to citizens, NGOs, local journalists. And even to politicians in the state who have lost elections. Such data should become useful for all stakeholders to take up progress in the constituency using tangible data. And the MLA should defend his record of progress in various sectors during his tenure as MLA. Of course, the MLA can also use such data to ask for more government allocations if his constituency has a poor track record on any development issue.

We are working on similar reports for health, water, etc.

We invite your suggestions, but also any concrete steps you can take in helping with dissemination of such information widely.

The Right to Information Act of 2005 mandates the disclosure of certain kinds of information by all government agencies. We have an opportunity to review government websites and make suggestions about the information gaps on government websites.

Central Information Commissioner Mr. Shailesh Gandhi has agreed to consider these suggestions for recommendation with the respective Public authorities for implementation.

If you would like to volunteer in the effort to increase the information disclosure by government agencies, kindly let us know by emailing veena.madhukar@gmail.com. Please feel free to share it with your friends as well.

Regards, Veena