*Axe likely to fall on dishonest bureaucrats, deadwoods
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Jan 19: Determined to curb the menace of corruption, which has assumed alarming proportion in the State, Governor N N Vohra today sought lists of all the corrupt officers and officials in the State administration within a period of 15 days. He has also issued directions for maintaining special watch on public service delivery system to ensure its functioning in responsive and transparent manner besides encouraging people to come forward to report every case of dishonest functioning by the public servants.
The Governor passed these directions while reviewing the functioning of State Vigilance Organization and State Vigilance Commission at Raj Bhavan separately. With these directions, the Governor has dropped enough hints that axe would fall on the dishonest officers and officials besides deadwoods in the State administration.
Reliable sources told EXCELSIOR that Governor while evaluating vigilance functioning with Director Vigilance Organization, Sheikh Owais Ahmad and Secretary, General Administration Department, Mohammad Ashraf Bukhari gave enough indications that he would not tolerate corruption at any level in the State administration and all those indulging in such practices would have to face the music.
Expressing serious concern over the intensity of corrupt practices at different levels in the administration and subsequent harassment to the common masses, Governor directed the Vigilance Organization to ensure that the public service delivery system is kept under special watch for its responsive and transparent functioning. He said that all the corruption cases should be dealt with sternly and on zero tolerance basis.
“Governor directed the General Administration Department Secretary to submit lists of corrupt officers and officials in the State administration within a period of 15 days so that necessary action is taken against them for bringing disrepute to the Government in the eyes of the public”, sources informed. Mr Vohra even sought separate list of those officers, who are repeatedly indulging in corrupt practices and are not ready to mend their ways besides the list of deadwoods in the Government departments, they further disclosed.
He directed that all the cases due for compulsory review under Article 226 should be placed before the designated committee for time-bound action. “The investigation and prosecution of all pending cases should be completed within notified time frames”, the Governor stressed.
Highlighting the crucial role of people in tackling the menace of corruption, the Governor directed the State Vigilance Organization to take all necessary measures to enhance awareness amongst people and encourage them to come forward for reporting every case of dishonest functioning by public servants. “Instead of fearing from the Vigilance Organization, the situation should be such that people come forward on their own and their identity should be kept secret so that they don’t face any sort of harassment or intimidation from corrupt elements”, sources said quoting Governor’s direction.
“Anywhere in the world corruption can only be tackled by making campaign against it a mass movement as such this aspect should receive the required focus of the Vigilance Organization for which it should hold regular awareness camps and carry out publicity of provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act”, the Governor further told the Director Vigilance.
Mr Vohra was informed about shortage of man-power in the Vigilance Organization particularly good investigators, which results into delay in investigations into the cases. He was further informed that good officers from the Police Department are not coming forward to join the Organization for many reasons and this situation can only be tackled by way of providing some incentives to those officers who voluntarily come forward to work in the Organization and contribute in checking the menace of corruption.
Accordingly, Governor directed General Administration Department to submit a proposal in this regard for his consideration as many steps are required to be taken keeping in view the fact that corruption is deep-rooted in many Government departments, sources said quoting Mr Vohra’s view points.
The Governor asked Secretary GAD to ensure that Annual Performance Reports of all employees were completed within the given time schedule and issue an immediate circular to all the departments to submit a status report by February 5, 2015 about the status of completion of APRs, as on 31.03.2014 in each department. “All departments should also submit reports regarding cases processed under Article 226 and all the Administrative Secretaries should urgently organize short training being imparted to all officers working under their charge to particularly ensure that APRs are written strictly in accordance with the laid down procedures”, he stressed.
He also directed GAD to ensure that every department discloses the requisite information as required under the RTI Act and puts it on its website, which should be regularly updated. “All the departments should also undertake an immediate review of property statements of immovable assets which were filed by the officers for 2013-14 and initiate action against those who failed to file the returns”, the Governor further directed.
In the meeting, Secretary GAD informed that a total of 16 cases were pending for sanction of prosecution, which included 7 cases relating to the Public Sector Undertakings/ Autonomous Bodies. The Director Vigilance informed that last year, 79 cases were registered against 240 public servants, including 106 Gazetted Officers and 30 public servants were caught red handed while accepting bribe. He informed the Governor that Vigilance Organization sends alert notices to bring to the State Government’s notice cases of deviations and violation of Codes and Rules.
While reviewing the functioning of State Vigilance Commission separately, the Governor urged the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Kuldeep Khoda to regularly monitor all pending enquiries and prosecution sanction cases in accordance with the provisions under the State Vigilance Commission Act, 2011. He also asked Mr Khoda to take all necessary measures to enhance awareness amongst people and encourage them to come forward for reporting every case of dishonest functioning by public servants.
He asked the Chief Vigilance Commissioner to hold monthly meetings with the Departmental Vigilance Officers to ensure time-bound action on all enquiry cases. “Departmental Vigilance Officers mechanism too has a vital role to play in checking corruption and mal-administration and this mechanism should be strengthened to achieve the desired objective”, Mr Vohra stressed.
CVC Kuldeep Khoda and Vigilance Commissioner R K Jerath informed the Governor that 1157 complaints were received by the State Vigilance Commission in 2014, out of which 64 cases have been referred for Departmental/ Administrative Action while registration of FIRs has been directed in respect of 26 cases.
Mr Khoda also informed that during the last 5 years, 8372 Enquiries/Complaints have been referred to the Departmental Vigilance Officers. He further informed the Governor about the advisories being periodically issued by the Commission to the departments, asking them to introduce the process of tendering and payments through cheques and electronic transfers for improving transparency and minimizing the chances of corruption.
Follow our WhatsApp channel