Strengthening anti corruption mechanism

It is not that talking about eradication of corruption is just nothing beyond colloquial levels in the highest echelons of the Governmental paraphernalia; there are, however, detailed guidelines prepared by the General Administration Department 15 years ago and widely circulated among all the Departments and PSUs. It is another thing that those guidelines remain constricted to the ‘Rule Book’ as they are being routinely ignored and, we are afraid, ignored at all the levels in the Government.
It is an admitted fact that for very ‘obvious reasons’ , certain departments , in particular , have been identified which are conspicuous of vulnerability to being considered prone for this culture, though exceptions of utmost brevity and righteousness are found everywhere. Officially, vide a circular dated May26, 2003 General Administration Department has issued detailed guidelines for strengthening vigilance and anti corruption mechanism in all the State Departments and PSUs in coordination with the State Vigilance Organization.
The departments where “more focused attention” was needed have been identified in the said circular, which are Revenue, Roads and Buildings, Public Health Engineering, Flood Control, Police, Excise, Sales Tax, Forest, Power Development, Rural Development, Food and Supplies, Jammu Development Authority, Srinagar Development Authority, Transport, Education and Social Welfare Departments.
We have repeatedly been underlying the importance of upping the levels of sharing important and day to day administrative guidelines, instructions, developments with all the departments by the General Administration Department as also between the departments themselves. How much time, say even minutes, each employee spends daily in reading and noting such prime guidelines excepting, of course, regarding developments in payment of wages, salaries, higher DA and other perks. It is found to utter dismay that majority of departments and other wings of the Government are completely unaware of such guidelines and the General Administration Department cares not take extra trouble in ensuring compliance , at least to the extent of getting acknowledgements from all Departments in token of having read, noted and undertaken to implement the guidelines.
It is another thing that in the ordinary course of business, even in the absence of official guidelines, a Government servant is expected to adhere to strict accepted levels of personal integrity, rectitude and candour but the Data reveals that complaints and open and shut cases of corruption are virtually flooding the offices of the State Vigilance Organization. Just from the year 2009 to 2016, the rate of complaints filed, as per a conservative estimate has jumped to 90 percent when a comparison is made with the previous years. Just estimate the number of probable hushed up and squashed cases which do not travel beyond the concerned four walls. It absolutely does not augur well for the administration and above all, the State Governments which have remained in power.
If for each and every ordinary ATM Machine, a CCTV can be installed and kept operative 24 hours across the State, why cannot these accepted modes of surveillance be installed in Government Departments? What methodology is adopted to know about contacts, assets, financial resources, instances and extent of briberies accepted by the suspected officials in a non nosey way and without any vociferation? Is there any effective mechanism of vigilance within majority of the “important” departments?
The guidelines under reference are otherwise exhaustive to the extent of even watching those “critical” stages when decisions are taken, orders passed, tenders processed, appraising done, sanctions accorded, granting quota certificates, issuing licences and permits etc by the designated authorities and other members on the staff. We expect a complete turnaround in the entire spectrum and panorama of strengthening anti corruption mechanism in Jammu and Kashmir State.

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