Bhubaneswar: Joining the state level function on the occasion of Vigilance Awareness Week on virtual platform, Chief Minister Shri Naveen Patnaik has said, “I am delighted to know that in the area of detection and registration of disproportionate assets cases, Odisha Vigilance has ranked number 1 in the country as per the latest NCRB data.”
A state level function was organised at Convention Centre for the purpose. The theme of this year’s programme is “Corruption free India for a developed Nation”.
The Chief Minister administered ‘Integrity Pledge’ to all the officers of the state connected on virtual platform. Awards were also given to best performing officers and prosecutors in presence of CM. Bhubaneswar vigilance received the Best Vigilance Division Award.
The CM further said that it is very encouraging to see that in all major parameters like registration and disposal of corruption cases & conviction of corrupt public servants, Odisha Vigilance is among the top performing anti-corruption agencies in the country, as revealed by the latest statistics in Crime in India-2021 published by the National Crime Record Bureau.
Expressing happiness over the report, he said that in the last 12 months, Odisha Vigilance has created new records by seizure of highest amount of cash in a trap case, seizure of highest amount of cash during a house search and unearthing the highest amount of Disproportionate Assets.
He said that these are days of ever changing technological and professional advancements in every field. The Chief Minister urged, “I therefore urge upon Vigilance Department to take Odisha Vigilance to the next level by bringing in technological up-gradation and expanding its multi-disciplinary character by roping in more professionals. Odisha Vigilance must take leverage of best practices and technologies available in the field of anti-corruption to enhance the capacity and effectiveness of Vigilance organization.”
He said that his Government has adopted a ‘Zero Tolerance’ approach to corruption so that basic public services are made available to the people at the grassroots level in a fair and transparent manner, and the benefits of welfare and developmental schemes reach the backward and poor sections of the society. With proactive steps like ‘Mo Sarkar’, we are also trying to empower the people, who are the ultimate masters in a democracy, for claiming their rightful entitlements, he added.
Saying that Transparency is a critical factor of the 5T initiatives undertaken by our Government with a view to achieve transformational goals in governance and ensure better delivery of public goods and services to the people in a hassle free manner, he added, his government has been taking a number of proactive steps to strengthen Odisha Vigilance, so that it can discharge its mandate more professionally and serve the people in a better way.
The Chief Minister congratulated Odisha Vigilance for its sustained initiatives in combating corruption. He also called upon all the public servants to show exemplary probity and integrity in their work and appealed the people of Odisha to renew their resolve to fight against corruption and strengthen the transparency and anti-corruption initiatives of the Government.
Speaking on the occasion Chief Secretary Shri Suresh Chandra Mohapatra said that with 5T and MO Sarkar put in place, most of the services are now offered online. People need not come to Government offices. This visionary initiative has improved transparency. Saying that the state vigilance is running very professionally, he added that the state vigilance academy is one of the best academies of the country. The Chief Secretary emphasised on strengthening of internal vigilance mechanism.
Development Commissioner Shri PK Jena, DGP Shri S.K. Bansal, 5T Secretary Shri VK Pandian and top police officers were present. Director of Vigilance Shri Jaswant Jethwa gave the welcome address and ADG Vigilance Shri Asit Panigrahi offered the vote of thanks.
