Eight 2025 cases where a single citizen's RTI changed a system — from PMAY beneficiary lists to municipal tender exposure.

Aggregated success stories from FY 2024-25, drawn from CIC orders and verified media reports.

1. MGNREGA wage arrears, Jharkhand — A panchayat-level RTI exposed Rs. 2.4 crore in wage arrears; SC-monitored PIL restored payments to ~12,000 workers.
2. Mumbai water-tanker scam — RTI revealed contractor over-billing of Rs. 18 crore; municipal commissioner ordered FIR.
3. PMAY-G ghost beneficiaries, Bihar — RTI to BDO showed 1,400 sanctioned PMAY-G houses without any construction; recovery initiated.
4. TN private school fee hike — Parent-association RTI obtained audited accounts, forced fee rollback.
5. DDA flat allotment irregularities — RTI exposed selective-allotment pattern; CBI took over.
6. Karnataka mining illegal extraction — Citizen RTI showed 3.2 lakh tonnes unauthorised extraction; royalty recovery initiated.
7. UP teacher recruitment scam — RTI for OMR sheets revealed answer-key manipulation; recruitment quashed.
8. Maharashtra hospital drug stock-out — Civil-society coalition RTI on 38 PHCs led to drug-supply chain reform.

The pattern: specific RTI + media + judicial follow-up is more effective than RTI alone. Citizens combining all three are winning.

→ Read more...