| Why only GAD, SVO officials bag CM's Vigilance medal? | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Oct 13: Nepotism and favouritism have always been hallmarks of J&K's bureaucracy, but nobody would have imagined that favouritism would be prevalent while awarding Chief Minister's Vigilance medal which is given to officers for their honesty.
The list for these awards is prepared by the General Administration Department (GAD) in association with State Vigilance Organisation (SVO). But out of 10 officials and three private persons, seven officers who have been awarded CM's Vigilance medal during last 5 to 6 years are from GAD and SVO.
Two officers also are indirectly affiliated with GAD as they happened to be DC and ADC respectively. One officer who is a J&K Bank employee happens to be one of the recipients of this award.
Around 13 persons were awarded CM's Vigilance award from 2007 to 2015. This information is available on the official website of GAD (www.gad.jk.nic.in). In 2007 Ashok Sharma, the then SP SVO, and G M Andrabi, the then Dy SP SVO, were given CM's Vigilance medal. In 2009 Sheikh Mushtaq, the then DC Bandipora, and Muzaffar Makhdoomi, JK Bank officer, were awarded this medal. In 2012, G S Chib, Special Secretary GAD along with Qazi Mehmood, Inspector SVO, and Abdul Rashid Lone, Head Assistant GAD, were the recipients of this award.
In 2013 Mohammad Hussain, the then Private Secretary to Director Vigilance SVO was beneficiary of this award. In 2015, Puneet Sharma, Additional Secretary GAD was selected for CM's Vigilance award.
From the above details it is clear that SVO and its administrative department, GAD, make selections for CM's Vigilance medal among themselves as if honest and upright officers working in other departments or even anti-corruption crusaders, RTI activists and journalists have not done any work towards exposing corruption in J&K.
Pertinent to mention that recommendations are sought for government and non-government agencies every year for CM's Vigilance award. Except three people not a single person from non-government sector has been awarded CM's Vigilance medal.
Government of J&K through the GAD issued a circular on June 28, 2012 wherein recommendations were sought from various Deputy Commissioners regarding awarding of Chief Minister's Vigilance medal-2013 to two public spirited citizens who have contributed towards exposing corruption in one way or the other. Interestingly the last date of submitting the recommendations by the various DCs was fixed for June 30 which means that just within two days a DC would search public spirited citizen from his district and the same could be send to GAD without allowing the DC to issue some advertisement etc to seek the applications from such people in his district.
Interestingly when the circular was issued by the GAD it was Friday, and the last day of submission was Sunday (June 30). This clearly indicated that government had already selected some blue eyed public spirited citizens who were awarded by Omar Abdullah on Independence Day (August 15, 2012). Not a single public spirited citizen was awarded; instead Pvt Secretary to Director Vigilance was given the award.
Can SVO explain what was his contribution towards exposing corruption?
On contrary to it, a poor villager from Kutabal, Budgam, Fayaz Ahmad, had exposed a mega scam using RTI Act in Rural Dev Department block Chadoora. The funds to the tune of Rs 12 lakhs provided under Indira Awas Yojna (IAY) to Kutabal village were swindled by the Sarpanch. The Sarpanch had to deposit Rs 5.30 lakhs into the treasury, but he distributed the amount among his 27 relatives whose names were exposed trough RTI. National Channel & Ana Hazare awarded Fayaz for this work in New Delhi, but J&K government failed to select him in-spite of the fact that he had applied for the award through DC Budgam. Not only Fayaz but there are scores of other whistle-blowers who have done commendable work for exposing corruption. |
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