Freedom Forum Executive Chief Mr. Taranath Dahal awarded 'Shashtika Basnet Right To Information National Award' in recognition to his significant role on the RTI sector

Biratnagar, March 31 - Founding chairperson and Chief Executive of Freedom Forum Taranath Dahal was presented ''Shashtika Basnet Right To Information National Award' On behalf of Province-1 Chief Minister Mr Sherdhan Rai , Internal Affairs and Law Minister , Hikmat Karki presented the award with cash prize of Rs 51,000 and felicitation certificate to noted Right to Information activist Dahal for his leading contribution role to promote,practice and protection of Right to information in Nepal. Speaking on the occasion, Province-1 Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, Hikmat Karki said that the provincial government has plan to set up information management oversight mechanism soon, he also added the journalist fraternity should work to establish people's rights being impartial, neutral and courageous. At the programme organized on Friday on the occasion of 63rd establishment day of FNJ, he said that the provincial government is in the process of framing laws to keep citizen's right to information. Likewise, Minister Karki handed over Shashtika Basnet Information Right Incentive Award to Raju Shrestha of Biratnagar. The award carries a purse of Rs 11,111. On the occasion,Minister for Financial Affairs and Planning Indra Bahadur Angbo ,Industry,land and forest minister Jagdish Kusiat and Social Development Minister Jeevan Ghimire from province,Member of provincial parliament Mr Kedar Karki and Buddiraj Rajbhandari,Information commissioner Mrs Ysoda Devi Timilsena  from National information commission,Senior journalist Yagya Sharma and other prominent personality from media and civil society also speak in program. Kedar Bahadur Karki, a local civil society leader of Biratnagar-11, had instituted the award by setting up a revolving fund of Rs 700,000 in memory of his wife late Shashtika. Awarded personality Dahal said that the prize encouraged him to works for RTI continuously and he added government, public agencies and media should be accountable to people through disclosed fact and information accurately and timely. He also said, democracy while noting that the investigative journalism could only gain public trust by using RTI tools.