Administrative Council to shortly accord approval
*Step imperative in view of significant developments
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 23: The Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau is all set to get new Vigilance Manual on the pattern of Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and draft has already been submitted to the General Administration Department for the approval of the Administrative Council headed by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
Official sources told EXCELSIOR that the Vigilance Manual, which is presently being followed by the Jammu and Kashmir Anti-Corruption Bureau, was notified several years back and till date the same is serving as a reference book for vigilance administration although several significant developments have taken place especially after the bifurcation of erstwhile J&K State into two Union Territories.
Recently, the need for preparing new Vigilance Manual on the pattern of Central Vigilance Commission, which now has jurisdiction over the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, was felt and accordingly the Director of the Anti-Corruption Bureau constituted a team for the task, they said, adding the new Vigilance Manual has been submitted to the General Administration Department, which has administrative control over the Anti-Corruption Bureau.
“The Vigilance Manual will be placed before the Administrative Council headed by Lieutenant Governor in next few days and after approval the same will be notified and followed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau”, sources informed, adding “the new Manual is likely to be released by the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha during the Chief Vigilance Officers (CVOs) and Departmental Vigilance Officers (DVOs) conference being held at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) at Srinagar shortly”.
Disclosing that significant developments taken place after the conversion of J&K into Union Territory have become the ground for framing of new Vigilance Manual, sources said that several circulars and guidelines on different aspects of vigilance administration have been issued either by the Government or by the Central Vigilance Commission and there is an imperative need for compiling them into a single document for the guidance of everyone assigned the task of vigilance administration.
“For the first time, there will be Special Chapters on Public Sector Enterprises, Banking & Insurance Companies and Economic Offences in the Vigilance Manual. Moreover, there will be new instructions on preventive vigilance, disciplinary proceedings and some other relevant issues”, they disclosed.
The earlier Vigilance Manual was prepared when there were only two Vigilance Police Stations but at present the number of Police Stations of Anti-Corruption Bureau has increased and more are in the process of being established. Moreover, for the first time Economic Offences Wing (EOW) has been created in the Anti-Corruption Bureau and its functioning is also required to be defined in the Vigilance Manual.
“Moreover, several new initiatives have been taken to facilitate filing of complaints about corrupt practices like mobile application ‘Satark Nagrik’ and Departmental Vigilance Officers Portal and new Vigilance Manual will also have detailed guidelines and instructions on these aspects”, sources further informed, adding “even for the first time the guidelines of the Central Vigilance Commission are being followed in the appointment of Chief Vigilance Officers and Departmental Vigilance Officers and their role, functions and responsibilities are also required to be defined in the Vigilance Manual”.
The new Vigilance Manual will have elaborative chapters on vigilance administration, complaints handling, preliminary enquiry, disciplinary proceedings and suspension, preventive vigilance, powers and functions of Central Vigilance Commission, monitoring of corruption cases and organizing structured/periodic meetings, rotation of vigilance officers, protection against victimization of whistle blowers and action on anonymous /pseudonymous complaints.
It is pertinent to mention here that vigilance administration in any organization is an integral function like any other function of management, such as finance, personnel, operation, marketing, material and contracts, etc. If the vigilance set-up is effective in an organization, it will certainly ensure the functioning of the other segments in an efficient way.
Vigilance administration comprises of preventive and punitive anti-corruption measures. It includes detecting irregularities, analysing and finding out reasons for such irregularities and making effective systemic improvements to curb them. It also entails identifying the public servants responsible for misconduct and taking appropriate punitive actions.
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