From September 4 to 10, J&K government has directed observance of ‘Bhrashtachar Mukt J&K’ week across all 20 districts.
The aim of the celebrations is to reiterate the government’s resolve to ensure a corruption-free Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Secretary said. The campaign is primarily meant to focus on the hassle free delivery of services related to water and electricity, besides addressing matters pertaining to land.
Preventing corruption, promoting transparency and strengthening institutions remains crucial if the targets foreseen to make J&K prosperous on fronts are met.
The government needs to continuously send a message to the officials and officers that corruption won’t be tolerated. Higher offices must be kept under check also.
Beyond doubt, corruption eats into the innards of a nation and is a debilitating social cancer which spares no one. There are numerous reasons, some of them well documented, as to why corruption flourishes. However, failure by some key institutions particularly the police and judiciary to bring to a close case plays an important part.
There are timelines provided in law for the presentation of the charge sheet, otherwise, an accused is entitled to default bail. Any delay by the Investigating Agency in not completing investigation of the cases registered is seriously impacting the justice delivery system as the guilty are not being brought to court for trial even after decades of registration of cases against them, thus observed the J&K’s top court.
While reasons for the delay could be plenty, the administration should ensure the monitoring system for investigations in the FIRs and that there is success in trap cases.
As put by the United Nations, tackling this menace is the right and responsibility of everyone, and that only through cooperation and the involvement of each and every person and institution can the negative impact of this problem can be overcome. Government, officials, civil society, academia, the public and youth alike all have a role to play to eradicate corruption. There is a need to remind everyone that corruption remains a complex social, political and economic phenomenon which affects everyone.
The Chief Secretary rightly observed that the malaise of ‘corruption’ can be largely addressed through ‘online services’ and digital services are the best antidote to the evil of corruption.
The digital services are not only accessible and transparent but also non-discriminatory and more efficient, besides being less costly and cumbersome.
