Perhaps, the dimension and the wide spread of corruption in Jammu and Kashmir State and the urgency of an effective mechanism to tackle the scourge are such that the need to set up first ever Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB) has increasingly been felt. Accordingly, the matter was listed on priority in the latest State Administrative Council meeting chaired by Governor Satya Pal Malik and sanction was accorded to it. This is a welcome step in that the intentions to fight the menace are manifest in a new organisation coming up to operate.
Obviously the existing system is loath to show far reaching results in identifying, prosecuting and ensuring awarding of exemplary punishment to people involved in indulging in corrupt practices, defalcations, embezzlements and those having doubtful integrity . The reasons are many; starting from where specifically it emanated, how and when reported, whether or not the time gap between the occurrence and reporting facilitated tampering with records or “managing” witnesses and various pulls and pressures exerted at later critical stages to obliterate chances of conviction. To keep public abreast of all such shortcomings and incessantly voicing concern against corruption and corrupt practices, Excelsior has always been reporting instances coming to our knowledge . It is in context of the shortcomings and multiplicity of roles in the existing anti corruption mechanism operational in the State, that the innovative step of setting up of the ACB has been mooted.
We would like to reiterate that setting up of newer agencies or organisations would deliver on the ground only if their autonomy was ensured and personnel of imminent integrity were posted therein and reasonable necessary infrastructure including empowering adequately were made certain. The Government having tremendous resources to know the antecedents of the personnel going to be engaged in high profile and sensitive organisations and the mechanism to keep a constant watch on them would bring about desired results. Where does corruption breed and how frauds, scams and embezzlements take place, a mechanism to pre-empt those “opportunities ” is cardinal. Improving governance and building quick delivery system, redressing public grievances through normal mechanism and by a high powered ombudsman would drastically reduce corrupt practices. Governor has been stressing on a “mission” which shifts the focus from outlays to outcomes and improvinggovernance which is largely depending upon how “Chustt” or spirited and agile the administrative apparatus was. Perhaps, it is because of this factor, the State Chief Secretary has made it clear that with a view to providing clean, transparent and people centric governance to the citizens, the Governor’s administration recognised the need to tackle the menace of corruption as critical to good governance in the State.
To achieve what is envisaged, in addition to establishing Anti Corruption Bureau, strengthening of the Anti Corruption Laws based on the best models in the country along with setting up of fast track courts to deal with cases of corruption, have got to be accorded top priority. The task is stupendous, gruelling and arduous as the rut is deep rooted, complicated and even organised at various points but not impossible to tackle.
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