EMN
Dimapur, October 25
Governor PB Acharya today urged all administrations, institutions and individual officials to bring about greater transparency and accountability in the system of governance to minimize corruption in the State.
In his message on the eve of Vigilance Awareness Week to be observed across the country from tomorrow, Acharya wished the State Vigilance Commission all the best in its endeavour to improve systems of governance and to reduce/eliminate corruption.
“Governance encompasses the process, structures and organizational traditions that determine how power is exercised, how stake holders have their say, how decisions are made and how decisions makers are held into account.”
This year the ‘Vigilance Awareness Week’ is observed from October 26 to 31t under the theme “Preventive Vigilance as a tool of Good Governance.”
He said, “Good governance includes governance through empowerment, participation, accountability, transparency, equity and justice. It means freedom of information, a strong legal system and an accountable administration of public fund with a clear mission to improve the quality of lives of citizens and establish legitimacy and credibility of Institution.”
The Governor felt that strategic mechanism can be developed within the offices and departments. And for this, he suggested that one of the strategies towards good governance is Preventive Vigilance which involves studying the organization, its policies, processes and people to identify vulnerabilities to corruption and recommend corrective measures.
“The preventive tools for good governance involves cutting down administrative delays, reducing arbitrariness and discretion and decision making, simplification of rules and procedures and bring about more transparency, accountability and openness in Govt. functioning. One major source of corruption arises because of lack of transparency. Accountability is necessary for good governance. This is possible through transparency in operation.”
Stating that Preventive Vigilance ensured clean and prompt administrative action towards achieving efficiency and effectiveness of the employees in particular and the organization in general, Acharya said, regular/surprise checks and inspections, discreet watch upon officers of doubtful integrity to ensure rotation of officials in sensitive positions, educating officers to take clean, honest, effective and transparent decision, would go a long way in improvement to our entire system of governance.
The Governor said, management/institutions should be interested in Preventive Vigilance measures. “If adequate attention is paid to Preventive Vigilance, many vigilance cases will not arise. Preventive Vigilance calls for constant review of rules, procedures and practices which afford scope for corruption.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister TR Zeliang has stated that good governance is about making the best possible policy decisions, and implementing them in the most effective manner. “It is the best way to ensure that public funds are actually and effectively utilized for the purposes for which they are sanctioned, and the Government’s welfare measures actually reach the intended beneficiaries,” read a CMO press statement on Sunday.
According to the CM, preventive vigilance can broadly be described as adoption of a package of measures to improve Government’s systems and procedures, so as to reduce the scope for discretion and corruption. His statement comes ahead of the Vigilance Awareness Week scheduled to be celebrated from October 26-31.
Zeliang shared that the idea of preventive vigilance as a tool of good governance is important, as it is possible to reduce the number of wrong doings through preventive vigilance. “Preventive vigilance is not exactly the task of Vigilance Commission, but that of the governmental authorities at every level. The supervisory officials can prevent their subordinates from committing wrongs, and vice versa, by maintaining vigilance over one another.”
He asserted that the state government is committed to fight corruption in the state, and in order to strengthen the mechanisms, the Nagaland Lokayukta Bill 2015 has been introduced in the Assembly. I am sure once the Bill is passed, the hands of the Vigilance Commission will be strengthened, and the fight against corruption will be intensited, which will ultimately promote good governance, he said.
“On the occasion of the Vigilance Awareness Week, I want to appeal to every citizen that the task of combating corruption should not be left to the Vigilance Commission alone, but all the concerned citizens should contribute their best in the fight against corruption, and re-dedicate themselves to work with honesty, integrity and sincerity to eradicate corruption from our society.”
