Centre prepares list of corrUpt officers
The next step will be to ‘remove’ them from service, compulsorily.
The “culling” of corrupt officials in government departments will begin soon as the Centre has completed major work in setting up a process wherein corrupt officials will be identified and compulsorily retired from their services, sources told The Sunday Guardian.
Sources in the Union government said that the vigilance wing of every government department has been asked to identify the corrupt officials and put them in an “agreed list”. An “agreed list” is compiled by every department and contains the names and details of the officers who, after an inquiry or during the course of an inquiry, have been found to be lacking in integrity, or against whom strong evidence and substantiated complaints have been received, raising questions on their credibility.
The list, according to officials aware of the development, has nearly been completed. “The next step that will be taken is to compulsorily remove them from their service, a process which will start from next month. The process of making this list is not new; it has been happening for a long time. The only difference now is that the names that appear on the list will be dealt with very sternly and very quickly and you will see many such officers being asked to resign by this yearend,” said an official in the know.
Sources said that the number of babus, including IPS officers, on the list, which is a confidential document, is well over 100. It is likely to increase even more.
This list is intended to keep the ministries and the public sector undertakings in- formed about officials who are of doubtful integrity, so that they are not allotted sensitive posts and given important assignments. The list, which is regularly updated, is prepared on the basis of intelligence inputs, a major part of which is provided by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Those who find themselves on the “agreed list” are subjected to closer, frequent scrutiny relating to their work and performance and they also go through checks about their reputation, both by the vigilance wing of their department and the CBI.
“The concerned agencies ( Vigilance and CBI) have been asked to conduct secret inquiries and collect information that will be presented before these officials as and when the time comes. Corruption in bureaucracy is a major reason for the lack of trust in the political system of the country. The instructions received from the topmost office of the government is to identify and take strict and quick action against the corrupt officials. The method we are adopting is tackling it from the top, rather than going after the junior officials,” the official said. Faced with challenges like depression, cases of suicide and corruption among its personnel, the Delhi Police is attempting to increase the job satisfaction rate among its personnel who often face flak from the public due to their “notorious image”, thus making the cops’ job that much more difficult. To achieve this aim, a Welfare and Estate department was established in 2014 to look after the needs of the police personnel and their families. S. Vasudeva Rao, Special Commissioner of Police, Welfare and Estate, was appointed for Delhi. In a conversation with The Sunday Guardian, he shared his overview of the journey so far. Excerpts: Q: It has been three years that the Delhi Police has set up a special cell for the welfare of its personnel, and you have been heading it ever since. What have been the achievements so far? A: We have achieved a lot in the last three years. We revamped the “Sampark Sabhas”, in which every month, the District Commissioner of Police (DCP) or the unit head meets the personnel of their unit or district to hear their grievances and a report of the same is submitted to my office which is monitored by me personally. Apart from this, we have streamlined several welfare services that the Delhi Police offers. We started an SMS alert system to keep the personnel updated about all the 32 welfare services which include sanctioning of their loans, reimbursement claims, mediclaims, leave orders, medical rest permissions and leave encashment, among many others. We have also developed Delhi Police’s education funds for education loans to their children, and the amenities’ fund for miscellaneous loans. Accidental insurance of Rs 30 lakh has also been made available in coordination with Axis Bank. Along with this, we have re-designated our Estate Officers as “Welfare and Estate Officers” to ensure that infrastructural support becomes an integral part of their welfare. Though we have managed to bring muchneeded changes, I feel that a lot more can be done as I believe that the true potential of the force would only be realised when they are happy in their jobs. Q: What was the idea behind starting a separate welfare cell for the Delhi Police? A: Welfare of Delhi Police personnel has been an integral part of police discipline and such a department is perhaps a first-of-its-kind in the country. The idea was to address the grievances of every police personnel in Delhi. It also shows the interest of top officers in the Delhi Police about concern for their subordinates and their well-being. Q: Though there are various welfare and support schemes to ensure financial security of the personnel and their families, the corruption rate in Delhi Police has stayed at 34%. What are the reasons? A: This is a matter that the Vigilance Department of the Delhi Police force will be able to discuss better. Q: There has always been concern about the lack of leaves in the police force, and this, at times, demoralises the force. How have you been able to address this issue? A: Yes, this has been a problem in the police force because of the nature of our job. However, we have carved out policies to ensure that police personnel get leaves they are entitled to. We have also started the process of granting leaves or duty-offs to personnel on their children’s birthdays, marriage functions at home or family illnesses, with priority. We deal with such cases in a sensitive manner and ensure that leaves are distributed properly. We streamline the cases of those who need immediate release. The DCPs and the Unit heads have also been instructed to deal with the force as part of their family. Q: Depression is also a major concern among the police force.