Srinagar, Nov 02 (KINS): As part of the ongoing Vigilance Awareness Week 2024, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) organized two informative sessions at the Conference Hall of JLN Udyog Bhawan, Jammu, focusing on the Rural Development Department in the morning and the Social Welfare Department in the afternoon.
These sessions also welcomed virtual participants from various districts, including Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Udhampur, Reasi, Rajouri, Poonch, Srinagar, Baramulla, and Ganderbal.
In a press release issued to news agency KINS, ACB said that the morning session featured Subash Chander Gupta, a retired District & Sessions Judge, as the Chief Guest, withShabir Ahmed Bhat, Director of RDD Kashmir, serving as Guest of Honour. Special invitee Arun Kumar Manhas, JKAS, Director of Industries & Commerce, Jammu, also attended, alongside officials from the Rural Development Department, local representatives, contractors, civil society members, and media personnel. The event was graced by the presence of Vikas Gupta, IPS, DIG ACB, and Sandeep Wazir, IPS, AIG ACB.
The session commenced with a documentary on corruption produced by the ACB, followed by an integrity pledge for public servants and citizens. A detailed PowerPoint presentation was delivered by Rakesh Kumar, JKPS, SSP ACB, addressing various complaints concerning the Rural Development Department and discussing case studies that highlighted deficiencies in departmental schemes.
He provided suggestions for enhancing departmental operations and reviewed the ACB’s initiatives to combat corruption. A subsequent presentation by Phulail Singh, ACD Kishtwar, elaborated on the department’s schemes, their shortcomings, and the importance of leveraging technology for better implementation. Feedback from participants was gathered via a mobile app to assess awareness levels and collect suggestions for improving anti-corruption efforts.
Chief Guest Subash Chander Gupta urged civil servants to work with utmost honesty and integrity, while Guest of Honour Shabir Ahmad emphasized the need to foster a culture of honesty throughout the system. Special invitee Arun Kumar Manhas offered valuable insights, stressing the importance of promptly addressing genuine grievances and cultivating a habit of listening.
The afternoon session for the Social Welfare Department began with another integrity pledge. Suneet Gupta, retired District & Sessions Judge, was the Chief Guest, accompanied by Kishore Lal Sharma, Director of the Social Welfare/Poshan Department, as Guest of Honour. Special invitee Vinod Kumar Behnal, JKAS, Joint Director of Mission Poshan, Jammu, attended alongside civil society members and media representatives, both in person and virtually.
Rohit Gupta, CPO ACB, presented a detailed overview of the Social Welfare Department’s schemes, highlighting various forms of corruption through case studies. Chief Guest Suneet Gupta advocated for increased pensions for widows and destitutes to assist them in meeting their basic needs. Guest of Honour Kishore Lal Sharma highlighted several schemes aimed at enhancing social welfare, encouraging the public to actively participate in combating corruption. The participants were informed about the WhatsApp and helpline numbers available for reporting complaints to the ACB.
The program concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Shri Imran Malik, Dy.SP ACB, thanking all participants for their engagement and contributions to the discussions.(KINS)
