*Benami Transaction Act to be made more effective
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 29: Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today said that Government has planned multi-pronged strategy to curb the deep-rooted menace of corruption, which has earned bad name to Jammu and Kashmir in the country and deprived common masses of the benefits of various schemes and developmental works.
Besides strengthening the existing anti-corruption institutions, the Government as a matter of policy, will adopt various measures to curb the menace of corruption, Mufti Sayeed said while admitting that the level of corruption in some departments particularly Revenue, Rural Development and Police was comparatively high as compared to other wings of the Government.
Among the measures, which the Government is contemplating to initiate to handle corruption with iron-hands, priority has been given to expeditious completion of pending investigations into corruption cases, strengthening of Jammu and Kashmir Benami Transaction (Prohibition) Act, 2010, constitution of special teams for monitoring and inspection of works and establishment of cells in the departments to ensure timely disposal of cases/files at various levels in organizational hierarchy.
Keeping in view glaring irregularities in the implementation of funds under various flagship schemes of Union Government, Chief Minister said that an institution of ombudsman both for Panchayats and MGNREGA at district level would be created and State Quality Monitors would be engaged to look into the implementation aspect of the flagship schemes.
“The Government will ensure audits and inspections at field levels to improve efficiency and also social audit of Centrally Sponsored Schemes like MGNREGA”, he further said while disclosing that Government was contemplating to issue instructions for constitution of special teams for monitoring and inspection of works and taking samples to improve the quality of works.
In order to ensure quality work and timely completion, the Government would lay required thrust on third party evaluation/mechanism in every Government scheme.
Explaining the measures being contemplated to tighten noose around the corrupt elements in the administration, Mufti Sayeed, in a written reply to the question of BJP MLA from Nowshera, Ravinder Raina, said, “we will encourage the honest while weeding out the corrupt, non-performing and inefficient officers and officials from the Government services in terms of Article 226(2) of the Jammu and Kashmir Civil Services Rules”.
A scheme would be devised for keeping continuous vigil on the integrity of doubtful/corrupt officers/officials to identify the tainted and take action against them, he further said, adding “we will ensure timely review of Annual Property Returns of immovable assets of the officers and officials and action would be taken against those who would fail to ensure compliance within the stipulated time frame”.
Laying stress on making all Government-public interfaces non-discretionary, criteria based and transparent, the Chief Minister said, “the Government will ensure preparation of citizen charters as an interface between the department and the citizens or revision thereof in order to make them more effective as per the requirement of time and improving the functioning of the departments”.
Mufti Sayeed, while expressing concern over pending regular departmental actions and enquiries against the delinquent public servants, said, “the Government has decided to fix time-line in order to expedite the pending investigations related to corruption in the departments”. As per this time-line, verifications would have to be completed within a period of two months, joint surprise checks within a period of three months and FIR cases in one year.
About strengthening existing anti-corruption institutions, Mufti Sayeed said that State Vigilance Organization has been directed in clear terms that its sleuths should ensure timely joint surprise checks for finding out irregularities and they have been asked to ensure that frequency of Alert Notes and Mid Course Corrections is increased as a measure of preventive vigilance.
“Directions have also been passed for strengthening of the institution of CVOs/DVOs/VOs for getting desired results from them. Moreover, all the departments have been asked to ensure updating of the websites on regular basis and proactive disclosure of information under Right To Information (RTI) Act”, he said while disclosing that Government was also considering to bring more services under the ambit of Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act.
Revealing that Government was contemplating to strengthen J&K Benami Transaction (Prohibition) Act, 2010, he said, “this is being done to make the law more effective and successful”, adding “Government will also provide powers to approve the mutation of oral gift with the higher authority not below the rank of Deputy Commissioner concerned”.
Stating that Government would focus on re-enforcing accountability and transparency in the administrative system by taking help of technology, he informed the House that computerization of land records under National Land Records Modernization Programme will be taken up vigorously by the Revenue Department. “The department is initially taking two districts—Jammu and Srinagar”, he further said, adding this will reduce the manual work and people will have access to records through designated kiosks or online.
He said that Government would promote transparency by e-tendering and ensuring all payments electronically or by cheques. “The departments have been directed to conduct inspections of offices and stores to ensure proper maintenance of records and implementation of rules and regulations”, Chief Minister added.
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