Most corrupt departments

In a recent report on the functioning of various departments of the Government, the State Vigilance Commission (SVC) has identified ten departments and categorized them as the most corrupt departments. A study of the report gives deep insight into the patterns of corruption in each department.
The report of the SVC is based on the number and nature of complaints received from the affected people. These departments are Works, Rural Development, Revenue, Police, Social Welfare, Health and Medical Education, Power Development, Forest, Consumer Affairs and Public Distribution and Education. State Vigilance Commission has taken into account the number of complaints received during last four years and hearing of these complaints. The report has dealt with each indicated department and discussed in length the pattern of bribery and corruption.
A common factor of the practice of corruption noted in all these cases is that of withdrawals made against non performed works and assignments by producing fake and false reports and vouchers. It shows that bribery is rampant among all cadres and that there is a nexus between various agencies to hoodwink the Government. Ordinary people cannot get their problems solved unless they pay bribes and bring in political pressure. Thus political class is emboldened to play negative role in indirectly encouraging bribery and corrupt practices. Those who are not in a position to pay bribes do not find any solution of their problems even if these are genuine. Be it lighting of the streets, repairs to the local school building, availability of medicines in the Primary Health Centre, driving license, to get a small scale unit registered, an application to get loan from any State financial institution, an urgent surgery in a Government hospital or simply a complaint to lodge an FIR, obtaining Permanent Resident Certificate, obtaining annual pollution control certificate for industrial units, to get benefits of various social welfare schemes, distribution of ration, to get date of birth certificates and job card etc, common masses’ perception is that they have to pay bribe for all these public services. The Commission categorically says that with this perception the people end up lodging complaints in all forums with the expectation that their grievances would hopefully be redressed. As a natural consequence there has been huge influx of complaints particularly against these 10 departments.
We have elaborate preventive mechanism and accountability system but all wrapped in papers and files. There is absolutely no practical implementation of these rules that prevent bribery and corruption, financial mismanagement or embezzlement of funds. People ask what the fun is of making so many rules and having a plethora of Acts and other mechanisms when the reality on the ground is that these rules are never made operative.  Punitive punishment is unknown and invoking the law means dragging on the case for years and finally ending up in total negligence. It is also noted that in many cases the allegation of financial embezzlement against functionaries have dragged on to years and before a decision could be delivered and embezzled funds recovered the principle has passed on to other world and the case is closed.
The report suggests that no effort of stone walling  corruption has proved useful so far and that the Government cannot and should not go along with what the situation is. The seniors in the departments particularly the Secretaries and the Commissioners have to bear full responsibility of finding out a mechanism that would ensure eradication of bribery and other grave irregularities in the departments. Departmental vigilance establishment has to be strengthened and also made answerable. Accountability syndrome must become functional. Departmental heads have to ensure that they pay visits to various sites under development programme and certify that the work is being conducted by the genuine contractors and along specified lines. For any work that is abandoned or deferred by the executing agency or the contractor the departmental head should first of all be asked to explain and justify. In case of failing to do so, he or she must be dealt in accordance with service rules.

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