All the Special Vigilance Commissioners (SVCs) of the city Government have been directed to conduct within two weeks enquiries on the complaints or references received by them directly or through the Directorate of Vigilance or any other authority in the national Capital.
While eight SVCs have been appointed to probe complaints of corruption against Government employees, some of them are yet to get either office space or support staff to carry out their respective job.
Interestingly, the SVCs brought to the notice of the Vigilance Secretary that they had not been provided with requisitioned staff by the Services Department so far. The source said the Vigilance Secretary has directed the services wing to provide the requisite manpower to the SVCs without any further delay.
After two SVCs pointed out that they have not been provided with official vehicles by the concerned departments, directions were issued to the Directorate of Vigilance to hire two vehicles after completing all the requisite formalities.
At a recent meeting chaired by secretary vigilance Sukesh Jain, which was also attented by eight special Vigilance Commissioners and two Deputy Secretaries, instructions were given to the officers to conduct field inspections in their respective departments at least once every month.
The SVCs were also directed to submit their report to the secretary (vigilance) within three days of their inspection. Two SVCs said in the meeting that they have not been provided with official vehicles by the concerned departments following which directions were issued to the Directorate of Vigilance to hire two vehicles after completing all the requisite formalities.
ZU Siddiqui stated that he has not been provided the requisite office space and asked the PWD to provide the adequate office space to him immediately at Vikas Bhawan II or any other suitable place.
The SVCs were also directed to hold meetings with the officers of their concerned departments on a weekly basis for getting reports or documents furnished to the Directorate of Vigilance in respect of pending CVC references and disciplinary proceeding cases. The SVCs have been instructed that in case any department which does not cooperate with them, they should themselves get the requisite documents or information provided to the Directorate of Vigilance.
As far as cases of officials under suspension are concerned, the SVCs have been directed to ensure charge-sheets against such officers are served upon them within a period of 90 days of their suspension. The Secretary Vigilance has also directed the Special Commissioners to ensure that charge-sheets are prepared and issued to delinquent officers by the concerned department without any delay and within the stipulated time period. He has instructed the HODs to provide all type of support to the SVCs for accomplishing their task.
The Government’s move to post eight bureaucrats as the Vigilance officers is reportedly in line with its efforts to set up a parallel Anti-Corruption Branch to keep tab on the corrupt officers in the city administration. Ever since Joint Commissioner of Police MK Meena was appointed as the ACB head by lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung against the wishes of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, the Government has been making all out efforts to strengthen its Vigilance Wing.