Corruption

‘Several recommendations to eradicate corruption awaiting implementation of Govt’

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Regular inspections, audits of Govt departments must for judicious use of funds, says SVC Annual report

Srinagar: The State Vigilance Commission (SVC) in its 4th annual report submitted by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in legislative Assembly has revealed that several recommendations of Vigilance Commission for curbing rampant corruption and bringing transparency in the Jammu and Kashmir are yet to be implemented by the state government.

The 86 page report has said that the commission vide its letter No, SVC/Gen/100/2015 dated 12.10.2015 made the recommendations to the Chief secretary aimed at strengthening the system of internal vigilance in government departments as a measure of preventive vigilance which are yet awaiting implementation by the government.

In one of its unimplemented recommendations, the anti-graft body has asked the government to install CCTV cameras in all offices which have large public interface.

The departments were asked to preserve the recordings for a minimum six months, with periodic examination by a committee headed by a senior officer.

The SVC has made the recommendation in response to the complaints received in the past against the departments with large public dealings. In these departments, the report say, there is a general feeling among people that “the officials are the most corrupt”.

“People believe that no works are being done without bribing officials in these departments,” it states.

The SVC has also asked the government that the sanctioning authority for works of all engineering departments should be different from the executing agency, so as to create an in-built system check against corrupt practices.

The departments were also told to provide complete information on their websites regarding the laws, rules and procedures governing the issue of licenses, permissions, clearances, and certificates.

The SVC has recommended that the building permissions by municipalities should be streamlined. Several departments were asked to provide all requisite NOCs to applicants through a single window.

“The guidelines for the constructions, area of construction, fire gaps, and fire security measures be notified on the website of the SMC and JMC. Strong inspection mechanism be put in place by constituting a committee having all the powers to dismantle any illegal structures, which have been constructed in violation of notified guidelines,” read some of the recommendations made to the state.

The SVC has also recommended that premature transfers in all the departments need to be “stopped except on disciplinary grounds”.
“All transfers should be done on the recommendations of a board constituted for the purpose,” it says.

Besides, there are several other recommendations made by the SVC on which the government has not acted so far.

Further in its report the SVC has suggested the government that it is high time for the departments entrusted with the job eradication of corruption to conduct seminars, workshops and awareness programs to apprise the general public about the adverse effects of the corruption on the society as a whole and keep them informed about various services being provided by the Government and changes brought in the system to ensure easy and corruption-free delivery of public services.

It (SVC) has also said that the menace of corruption can only be tackled with the active support and participation of the people from all walks of life. “It would be apt to educate the general public through electronic, print media and other means of communication about their primary responsibilities of securing transparency in public administration so that they can participate effectively in the decision making process of the government”.

The Vigilance commission has also suggested that the government needs to develop a system of regular internal and external inspections and audits in every government department to see as to whether the funds received are being utilized judiciously and whether the benefits has gone down to the genuine beneficiaries.

It has also said that the public servants at all levels should be made answerable for their actions and administrative action should invariably be taken if the action or justification of action is found to be coloured or unsatisfactory.

 

(With inputs from KNS)

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