Adil Lateef
Srinagar, Oct 5: The State Vigilance Commission (SVC) has received 2160 complaints, out of which 1,173 were heard and disposed off during 2014 while rest were sub-judice.
The SVC has observed that generally people perceive public servants as corrupt and unhelpful and the highest numbers of complaints have been lodged against officers of Police, Consumer and Public Distribution (CAPD), Engineering Departments, Revenue officials and Block Development Officers (BDOs).
This information was given in the second Annual Report of SVC for 2014, as provided in Section 13 of Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Commission Act, 2011. The Commission received 1874 complaints directly and 286 cases from the State Accountability Commission, making a total 2160 complaints. “Out of these, 1,173 were heard and disposed of and rest of the complaints remained sub-judice,” the report states.
The cases disposed off resulted in recommending registration of FIRs in 26 cases, regular departmental action against the officers found prima-facie involved in 64 cases and the remaining were dismissed after thorough inquiry by the Commission.
“We expect faster disposal and clearance of backlog with the providing of prosecution and other support staff by the Government, in accordance with the staff creation proposal already approved and sanctioned by the Government… While dealing with the complaints being received by the Commission we have observed that most of the complaints are trivial in nature, which could be better addressed on administrative side by the concerned departments,” the SVC stated. It, however, said: “But, we need to have a strong internal Vigilance system in place in all departments, which would result in quick disposal and redressal of grievances of general public and resultant good governance.”
In its report, the SVC said that considering the nature of complaints received during last one year and hearing the complainants during Court proceedings, it has been “observed that people by and large have come to perceive the public servants in general as corrupt and unhelpful and that without greasing someone’s palm or buying political influence they cannot get any work done in Government offices”.
The SVC has observed that the common man’s perception is that he/she has to pay bribe for even a smaller work like medicines in the Primary Health Centre (PHC) or issuance of date of birth certificates and ration cards. “With this perception the people end up lodging complaints in all fora with the expectation that their grievances would hopefully be redressed,” the SVC states in its report.
It states that there has been surge in the number of complaints that are being lodged against officials of various departments and public servants particularly against officers of police, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution (CAPD), Engineering Departments, Revenue officials and Block Development Officers (BDOs).
It said that the complaints against police officials posted in various police stations are being received regarding alleged false implication of people in cases and extraction of bribe from them on the pretext of closes cases against them. The SVC stated that the complaints against Revenue officials are regarding alleged fraudulent mutations and tampering and interpolation of Revenue records and issuance of Permanent Residential Certificates (PRCs).
Regarding the BDOs, the SVC has received complaints of alleged drawal of payments against not executed works under MGNREGA scheme, allotment of works on fake job cards and allotment of works to ineligible persons. The SVC has also received complaints against BDOs regarding financial assistance under IAY scheme to undeserving persons at the cost of those who do not possess a house to live in.
The SVC further said that the complaints against CAPD officers are received regarding alleged misappropriation of rations meant both for BPL and APL families and alleged drawal of carriage charges against the misappropriated ration.
Regarding officers of Engineering departments, the SVC states that “the complaints are also vis-à-vis drawal of payments against the non-executed works and execution of works departmentally without inviting tenders by splitting the works involving huge expenditure”.
The SVC has urged the Government to go for system correction and strengthening of the internal vigilance of these departments. “Given the huge influx of complaints being lodged before the Commission, it is being felt that if the Commission takes cognizance of all these complaints it may have an effect of stalling the execution if developmental works and implementation of schemes meant for downtrodden sections of the society,” the SVC states and calls on Government to plug-in the loopholes.
The SVC states that in order to provide clean and corruption free administration, the system needs to be put in place to ensure accountability in public administration. “The public servants at all levels should be made answerable for their actions and administrative action should be invariably taken if the action or justification of action is found coloured or unsatisfactory…,” it states.
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