Govt directs anti-graft agencies to prepare report of tainted, corrupt officials

Srinagar, June 27: The state government headed by Governor NN Vohra is preparing a crackdown on corrupt officials to make it taint-free state.
Highly placed sources said that the anti-graft agencies have been asked to prepare a report of tainted and corrupt officials for immediate action.
“The list prepared by state vigilance commission, will be sent to the Governor’s office, to monitor the conduct of tainted officials and take necessary action to prosecute, or recommend departmental action including major penalty, demotion or even dismissal from service,” sources maintained.
Sources said that the exercise is among the key agenda of the government headed by Governor NN Vohra to bring transparency in the governance.
Sources maintained that the government has also asked all public sector undertakings, government departments to speed-up investigation in corruption cases. “The DVOs have also been asked to review their respective pendencies and take expeditious action to bring them to a logical conclusion within the prescribed time limit,” sources said.
Sources said that there are number of pending complaints of corruption with Public Health Engineering/Irrigation & Flood Control Department, Public Works Department and Health Department, including some corporations.
Sources said that acting tough on corruption in the Government Departments and inordinate delay in according sanction for prosecution of corrupt officers, Governor NN Vohra recently in a meeting issued a series of directions to secretaries and the General Administration Department (GAD) to submit detailed reports to him on status-quo of various cases of investigations including decision on sanction of prosecution.
Sources said that the Governor has directed that prosecution sanction should be expedited so that the corrupt officers didn’t manage to take advantage of the delay.
Sources further said that the governor has also sought report on completion of Annual Performance Reports (APRs) of all Government employees with regard to each department. Sources said that the governor Vohra will shortly hold review of all anti-corruption related issues with the top brass of the State Vigilance Commission (SVC) and State Vigilance Organization (SVO).
It is to mention here that the number of officers facing corruption charges was awarded plum postings.
Sources said that there was a deluge of complaints received by the State Vigilance Organization and vigilance commission from last few years. “In a number of complaints in 2015- to 2017, allegations were mainly about violation of codal formalities in the award of contracts in works, purchases, appointments, promotions and transfer, denial of services by the government departments etc,” sources disclosed.
It is to mention here that the previous government had decided to order premature retirement of ‘corrupt and incapable’ officials, who have not been able to deliver in their respective departments.
The government had also constituted a high-level committee headed by Chief Secretary and the committee was to be the final authority to take action against the corrupt officials.
In 2015 the government had removed several tainted officials and non-performing bureaucrats from the plum postings.
Sources said that now it is also interesting to see that how the Governor will make up his mind to go after officials who have amassed wealth and property beyond their known income. “The government must asked the authorities to gather information about the property and wealth of officers, officials from last many years so that it is ascertained who has resorted to unfair means to amass wealth and property,” sources maintained. (KNS)