By: Siddharth Varadarajan, Founding Editor Published in: *The Wire* Date: March 22, 2024 Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FlEhy_QHQzs *Note:* The transcript is embedded in the source
"Anjali Bhardwaj of the Satark Nagrik Sangathan speaks to Siddharth Varadarajan of The Wire." "Satark Nagrik Sangathan (SNS) or Society for Citizens Vigilance Initiatives (SCVI), set up in 2003, is a citizens’ group with a mandate to promote transparency and accountability in government functioning and to ensure active participation of citizens in governance. We are not affiliated to, or supported by, any political party. Our endeavour is to *empower people* to fight corruption and the arbitrary exercise of power and participate in the effective utilization of public funds. SNS creates awareness about the *Right to Information Act, 2005* and seeks to enable citizens’ participation in governance by using the RTI law to obtain information about the various activities of the government. Access to information empowers people to mobilize and meaningfully engage with government functionaries to hold them accountable and ensure delivery of basic rights and entitlements. It also results in meaningful participation of citizens in the allocation of public funds to ensure that funds are spent to address critical development needs."
