India's anti-corruption initiative gets World Bank's praise

New Delhi, June 21, 2012 : The Central Vigilance
Commission's e-initiative to fight corruption has received
appreciation from the World Bank.
    Officials said the World Bank was impressed with the
technological innovation in the especially designed project
of the CVC -- VIG EYE -- a web-based system to report
corruption by uploading videos, audios or raising complaints
online which was showcased during a recently organised meet in
the United States to discuss ways to check graft.
The second biennial meeting of the International
Corruption Hunters Alliance (ICHA) was organised at World Bank
headquarters in Washington and attended by representatives of
170 nations.
    The ICHA, which is an initiative of the World Bank's
Integrity Division, is a grouping of prosecutors,
investigators, heads of anti-corruption authorities, supreme
audit institutions and international organisations involved in
anti-corruption activities.
The World Bank had specially invited R Sri Kumar,
Vigilance Commissioner, and K Subramaniam, Director in the
probity watchdog, to make a presentation on the 'VIG EYE'
complaint handling system during the conference.
    "The World Bank seems to be highly impressed with the
initiative of VIG EYE as a technological innovation to fight
corruption. VIG EYE attracted so much attention of the
conference that the cover page of the agenda booklet of the
conference carried a photo of Indian woman with mobiles
illustrating the use of VIG EYE," an official said.
    After the two-day conference held on June 5-6, a training
workshop was organised for the participants at the George
Washington University Law School, Washington on 'stolen asset
recovery'.
     Officials said the participants in the workshop were
impressed with the CVC initiative and asked for another
presentation.
     The conference focused on three themes, international
cooperation, national enforcement and innovation in the use of
information technology in the fight against corruption.
     "The good show of Project VIG EYE at the whistleblower
session got a special mention from the World Bank VP Integrity
at the closing session of ICHA and a request for a special
performance for the World Bank select gathering again," Sri
Kumar said.
    The CVC delegation participated in various thematic
discussion including ones on measuring the results of
anti-corruption authorities and tools and resources for
sharing anti-corruption information.
     The gathering was specifically shown a computer based
system to address corruption in public service delivery
developed by Peru, a mobile based application to report
corruption in the mining of minerals developed by Democratic
Republic of Congo and CVC's VIG EYE.
     "Vigilance Commissioner Kumar made a detailed
presentation along with live demonstration on the use of the
VIG EYE complaint handling system and global project
management system (GPMS).
     "He highlighted how a popular and easy to use device like
mobile phone can be used to report corruption along with the
capture of voice and video clips as evidence," the official
said adding that the presentations were very well received by
the global audiences.
     The VIG EYE was launched by former Central Vigilance
Commissioner P J Thomas in December 2010 since then it has
been running on a pilot basis.
     "The results have been encouraging and after carrying out
modifications the project would be scaled up," the official
said.

Govt to train nodal officers on do's and don'ts of RTI Act

 New Delhi, June 20, 2012 : In a move aimed at strengthening the Right to Information Act, the central government has decided to train nodal officers dealing with RTI applications both at the Centre and in states on various do's and don'ts of the transparency law.
     Officials said the Department of Personnel and Training
(DoPT) has planned a detailed training programme for Central
Public Information Officers (CPIOs) and State Public
Information Officers (SPIOs), who act as nodal officers to
deal with RTI applications.
     The officials will be made aware of periodic changes made
in the RTI Act and e-handling of applications.
     "There have been many queries from CPIOs and SPIOs while
resolving RTI applications. The department has taken an
initiative to train the officials dealing with RTI
applications at the Centre and in states through a centrally
sponsored scheme," a DoPT officer said.
     He said the officers will also be trained on ways to
provide the information sought in an RTI query.
     "There have been instances where information seekers
ask for opinion rather than information. The CPIOs and SPIOs
face lot of problems in responding to such applications as the
fear of facing penalty or admonishment from the Central
Information Commission or State Information Commission is
always on their minds. All such issues are also taken up
during training programmes," the official said.
     The DoPT had in 2010 introduced a plan scheme 'Improving
transparency and accountability in government through
effective implementation of Right to Information Act' in order
to continue to support the State Information Commission and
Administrative Training Institutes in the area of awareness
generation and capacity building.
     The officer said the government has issued instructions
requiring all public authorities to update records, improve
infrastructure and bring out necessary manuals as provided in
the Act and comply with the provisions regarding suo-motu
disclosure.
     The RTI Act, which was enacted in 2005, covers disclosure
of information on almost all matters of governance.
     The government has also decided to give a grant of Rs 2.5
lakh each to a State Information Commission for organising RTI
week between October 5-11 every year, another Rs 2.5 lakh each
to training institutes for innovative awareness generation
programmes and Rs 50 lakh each for organising workshops and
seminars.
     "Every year there is a surge in filing of RTI
applications with every public authority. Hence, there is a
need to train officials dealing with it to timely respond to
queries raised by an information seeker. The training will be
aimed at enhancing competence and computerisation of whole
information delivery system," he said.
     According to the DoPT, the CPIOs and SPIOs will also be
trained in computer literacy.
     "The DoPT will seek details of utilisation of funds by
SICs annually and only after receiving it further grants will
be issued," the official said.

Govt extends rules for giving risk allowance till year-end

 New Delhi, June 19, 2012 : The Centre has extended by six
months to this year-end the rules for providing risk allowance
to government employees engaged in hazardous duties across the
country.
"Extension of risk allowance for a further period of six
months beyond June 30, 2012 has been considered and it has
been decided that risk allowance may be continued at the
existing rates for a further period of six months up to
December 31, 2012 or till further communication," Department
of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said in a memorandum.
Risk allowance, which varies from Rs 20 to Rs 200, are
given to employees engaged in duties involving greater hazards
or whose health is liable to be affected progressively over a
long period of time because of a particular vocation.
The allowance is given to all class of employees,
including sweepers engaged in cleaning of underground drains,
sewer lines and those working in trenching grounds and
infectious diseases hospitals.
The Centre has also asked all departments under its
control to work out a suitable welfare schemes for periodical
medical check-up of the staff exposed to risk in their jobs to
ensure their good health.

74 govt officials under CVC scanner for alleged graft

 New Delhi, June 19, 2012 : Seventy-four government
officials, including 10 from the Municipal Corporation of
Delhi, have been penalised by the Central Vigilance Commission
for their alleged involvement in corruption.
Out of them, eight officials are from Allahabad Bank, six
from State Bank of India, four from Hindustan Copper Limited,
three each from Indian Council of Agricultural Research and
Employees Provident Fund Organisation, the CVC said in its
performance report for April.
     It said two officers each from Dena Bank, Punjab National
Bank, Union Bank of India, Department of Mines, Ministry of
Labour, Central Board of Direct Taxes and Delhi Development
Authority, and one each from Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan,
Andhra Bank, Canara Bank among others have been imposed
penalty.
     The probity watchdog processed 5,078 complaints
(including 39 whistle blower complaints) during the month and
sought investigation or factual report in 18 complaints from
the concerned ministries or departments.
     The Chief Technical Examiner's wing of the Commission
effected a recovery of about Rs 1.47 crore after inspecting
public procurement and works of different government
organisations.
     The CVC gave vigilance clearances for 14 officers for
empanelment or board level appointments during April.
     "The Commission is deeply concerned over continuing delay
in filling the post of Chief Vigilance Officer in MMTC Ltd,"
it said.

Chhattisgarh CM writes to Krishna over Indians' release

New Delhi, Jun 18, 2012 : Chhattisgarh Government has sought help from External Affairs Minister S M Krishna for securing safe return of 17 Indians who have been held captive for over three months by pirates near Somalia.
    Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh, in a letter to
Krishna, has sought his "personal intervention" for ensuring
release of Preetam Kumar Sahu, a native of Rajnandgaon
district of the state who was working as an engineering cadet
in the Shipping Corporation of India Ltd, and 16 others.
The Chief Minister has attached a letter by Lokdas Sahu
who said that his son Preetam was sailing from Dubai to
Nigeria on MT Royal Grace, a Panama flag vessel on March 1
which was  hijacked near Somalia.
    Sahu has said that 17 Indians are struggling for life
owing to shortage of drinking water and food.
    "This issue is of serious humanitarian concern and
therefore, I would like to seek your personal intervention in
this matter to ensure survival and safe return of the 17
Indians including Preetam Kumar Sahu," Singh said in a letter
written to Krishna.
     "A word from you will make me highly obliged and will
certainly reassure an anxious and worried (Preetam's) father,"
the chief minister said.