Govt tightens noose around corrupt officials
Ishtiyaq Ahmad
Srinagar, Aug 17 (KINS): Keeping in view the ‘zero tolerance’ for corruption, the LG Manoj Sinha led Union territory government has decided to launch a massive drive for prevention and detection of corruption.
Sources told news agency Kashmir Indepth News Service (KINS) that the Government is planning to tighten the noose against the corrupt officers and on the basis of complaints, it has identified the public dealing departments on which focus will be laid.
Sources said that the newly appointed LG Manoj Sinha has asked Anti-corruption bureau and other investigating agencies to adopt a policy of “Zero Tolerance” towards corruption in various fields of governance and implemented the policy in letter and spirit, so that general masses also get to know that their day-to-day work can be got done without giving bribe.
Sources said that as part of detection of crime, raids and traps would be organized by the ACB and Crime Branch to nab corrupt officials.
Sources said that the Government wants to make the Panchayati Raj Institutions (PRIs) corruption free. “The Government believes that if the rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir become corruption free then a large section will be covered and to a large extent the target of the government’s priority towards ‘Zero Tolerance’ for Corruption would be met”, said the sources.
Sources said that the government would be keeping strict vigil on government departments like Panchayat, Municipal Corporations, Municipal Committees, PWD, Revenue Department and all other enforcing government agencies where public dealing is more. Sources said that the Sinha led government plans to plug all the loopholes so that agencies face no hurdle in collecting evidence.
It is to mention here that the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) unearthing many scams during the past few months has exposed the entire system.
Many big guns have fallen in the ACB net and it appears that investigations are on to nail others also,” said sources.
The corruption has always been prevalent in Jammu and Kashmir and no one can deny this fact. But not many people were booked during the erstwhile political regimes.
It may be recalled that many commissions to probe the complaints about corruption were formed during the political dispensations but all these bodies proved to be toothless tigers.
“The State Vigilance Organization (SVO) which has been rechristened as Anti-Corruption Bureau, despite having sufficient evidence was unable to nail the big fishes in the old system due to the political pressure. Since the day J&K has been turned into Union Territory (UT) the ACB has started acting swiftly. Big shots, who used to believe that they are above the law and can get away with anything are facing the heat as the noose has been tightened around them,” said the sources.
The corrupt being nailed has sent a clear message down the line that no one will be spared. The ACB has even produced challans in old cases which were shelved due to political pressure or other reasons.
The work culture in government offices is changing fast. All the officials from top to bottom are aware of the fact that they are being watched. The ACB during the past few months has acted quickly on the complaints which were registered with it.(KINS)
