Vigilance chief regrets delay in action

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, DEC. 3.

The Chairman of the Central Vigilance Commission, Mr. N. Vittal, has regretted that action was delayed against officials even after the clear recommendations of the CVC. The Delhi Administration alone contributed 30 per cent penalty cases but in 105 cases action has not been taken so far which was a matter of serious concern.

Delivering the key note address at a seminar organised by the Delhi Government on the issue of ``Fighting Corruption-Agenda for Action'', over the week-end Mr. Vittal appreciated the concern of the Lieutenant-Governor, Mr. Vijai Kapoor, and the Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dixit, in providing a clean administration, but said this requires both political will as well as cooperation from the officials. He defined corruption as ``use of public property for private purpose''.

In fact, he termed corruption as ``financial rape'' and financial adultery''. He regretted that the axe always falls on the lower staff which is made the scapegoat whenever some case of corruption is caught. Emphasising the need for transparency, Mr. Vittal, stressed on adopting 10 points of action, saying that all procedures, orders, application forms should be available on the website of the Governments. Mainly corruption erupts from discretionary aspects, he added.

``Let there be clear procedures, simplified rules and self- assessment schemes and let out sourcing also be one of the methods for collecting taxes. Action against the guilty must be taken immediately. Even raids and traps could be planned to nab corrupt officers'', he added.

Terming corruption as a collusive affair for mutual benefit, the Lieutenant-Governor, called upon the officers to develop an attitude where public interest remained upmost in the minds and was not relegated to the background. Sometimes, in the situation of shortages, corruption may take different dimensions, he added. Unless the officers are committed to get things done in an honest manner, they cannot sustain their integrity, he remarked.

The Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dixit, asked the officers to develop the will to fight corruption. ``If there is a person who is corrupted, there is also the one who corrupts'', she stated. She said it is basically the lack of commitment, which leads to lethargy and ultimately to corruption. Officers, she felt, generally keep looking for plum posts, more powers and more gains. Quite often they use secrecy as a weapon.

The Chief Minister felt that merely putting information on the website would not help matters. Besides transparency, officers must have commitment to work and must develop the attitude of concern towards the general public. She was emphatic in her views that those found guilty must be given exemplary punishment and that to instantly. Action in this regard should not be delayed, she added.

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