CVC may give more power to its officials -- Vittal

CVC may give more power to its officials -- Vittal
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

TIRUCHIRAPPALLI, MARCH 19: The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is examining the possibilities of arming its officers with necessary powers to trap corrupt officials, Central Vigilance Commissioner R N Vittal said on Sunday.

Addressing a state-level convention of the Tamil Nadu Consumer Council here, he said there were about 590 Central Vigilance Officers (CVOs) in the country and the CVC is examining the possibility of giving them "police powers" to implement the traps "effectively and legally".

The Commission was also contemplating identifying about 20 honorary Vigilance advisors in every block or taluk who could be authorised to visit any government organisation, public sector banks and PSUs and bring corruption cases to the notice of the CVC, or to initiate action to trap corrupt officials with the help of corruption cells or CVOs.

It had been found that departmental action against officials named by CVC was getting delayed, he said adding the CVC would issue reminders to correct the `delay tactics' and `lethargy'.

The CVC had taken up with the Law Commission the preparation of the draft of an Act, on the lines of the Public Disclosures Act of the United Kingdom. It would encourage "whistle-blowing" and keep the names of those who complain secret, he said.

Vittal said India is ranked 73 on the corruption perception index measured in 1999 for 99 countries by Transparency International, an NGO based in Berlin. The CVC was committed to the ambitious goal of reaching the ranking of at least 40, if not 30, by September, 2002, he said.

Vittal said the country's economy had been greatly affected by "corruption and inefficiency" in four specific departments - Customs, Excise, Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate. This, he said, had resulted in crystallisation of a large chunk of black money - estimated from Rs 40,000 crore to nearly Rs 1,00,000 crore.

Vittal said the CVC would suggest to the Supreme Court, with the back-up of consumer activists, to get a declaration that it is the fundamental right of every citizen to get corruption-free service from every public office.

He said 60 Central Government departments had already come out with `citizen's charter'. The CVC had addressed to all the departments and also the Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Shanta Kumar, to include a condition that all services would be made available without any corruptive procedures and to modify the charter as `declared rights of the citizen'.

Nearly 36 per cent of foodgrains and 31 per cent of sugar meant for distribution under the PDS in the country "disappeared in black market" due to corruption, he called for building public opinion against corruption.