Approval of competent authority pending during past nearly one year
Updated handbook needed in view of significant developments
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, June 6: Notwithstanding the fact that updated handbook is needed in view of significant developments taken place since the formation of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the new Vigilance Manual on the pattern of Central Vigilance Commission submitted by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) to the Government for approval of the competent authority is gathering dust in the official files during the past nearly one year.
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.
About a year back, 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 of officers for the task. After detailed exercise the new Vigilance Manual was submitted to the General Administration Department, which has administrative control over the Anti-Corruption Bureau, for the approval of the competent authority.
Earlier, it was stated that the updated Manual will be released by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha during the Chief Vigilance Officers (CVOs) and Departmental Vigilance Officers (DVOs) conference scheduled to be held at Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) at Srinagar in the month of November last year.
“However, till date the approval of the competent authority is awaited for the reasons best known to the General Administration Department”, official sources told EXCELSIOR, adding “neither the Anti-Corruption Bureau has been conveyed any shortcoming, if any, in Manual nor the reason behind the delay in according approval”.
Highlighting the grounds for framing of new Vigilance Manual, they 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.
In the draft Vigilance Manual, the Anti-Corruption Bureau has, for the first time, kept Special Chapters on Public Sector Enterprises, Banking & Insurance Companies and Economic Offences. Moreover, detailed instructions have been mentioned on preventive vigilance, disciplinary proceedings and some other relevant issues.
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, sources said, adding “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”.
Further, 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 in the draft new Vigilance Manual the Anti-Corruption Bureau has mentioned detailed guidelines and instructions on these aspects.
“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”, sources further said.
In the new Manual the ACB has also kept 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, they informed.
EXCELSIOR made telephonic calls to the officers in the General Administration Department, who are dealing with the Vigilance matters to ascertain the reasons behind inordinate delay in according approval to the new Vigilance Manual but there was no response. However, sources in Anti-Corruption Bureau confirmed that approval was pending.
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