Bhubaneswar: Odisha will observe Vigilance Awareness Week from October 26 to November 1, with Chief Minister set to lead the state-level programme by administering the integrity pledge to public servants on October 27, as part of a statewide campaign to promote transparency, accountability and probity in public life.
The state-level function will be held at 11 am at the Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhawan, Bhubaneswar, where the Chief Minister will attend as the chief guest. The Chief Secretary of Odisha will be present as the guest of honour.
The campaign will be organised around the theme “Probity for Prosperity” and will feature a range of activities aimed at strengthening public awareness about corruption prevention and encouraging citizens to report corrupt practices.
The integrity pledge, circulated by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), will be administered to public servants across government departments and public sector undertakings.
To facilitate statewide participation, the Information and Public Relations Department will live-stream the main event, enabling government employees and citizens across Odisha to join the programme and take the pledge simultaneously.
The Electronics and Information Technology Department will connect all district Collectorates and Block offices through video conferencing over the Odisha State Wide Area Network (OSWAN), allowing government functionaries at different administrative levels to participate in the ceremony.
As part of efforts to engage students and young people, district-level competitions on anti-corruption themes will be organised in schools and colleges across the state. The activities will include debates, quizzes, cartoon-making, slogan writing, painting, rangoli and poster-making.
Winners will be felicitated at district-level functions organised by Vigilance Divisions and Units, officials said.
Public meetings, rallies, walkathons and marathons will also be organised at district headquarters, with participation from students, youth, academicians, government officials, Self-Help Groups, non-governmental organisations, media representatives and members of civil society.
Anti-corruption banners and posters will be displayed at prominent public places, while awareness Gram Sabhas will be organised in rural areas with the participation of SHG members and representatives of Panchayati Raj Institutions to strengthen awareness at the grassroots level.
Odisha Vigilance will undertake an extensive communication campaign through social media, WhatsApp, email, electronic media, print media and web platforms.
On the opening day of the campaign, bulk SMS messages highlighting the Vigilance toll-free number 1064 and landline number 0671-2305988 will be sent to mobile users across the state to encourage citizens to report corruption.
The online portal for registering corruption complaints, http://odishavigilance.gov.in, has also been updated to facilitate the reporting of corruption-related cases.
Outstanding performance and dedication in vigilance-related work will be recognised at the state-level function through awards in five categories: Best Vigilance Division, Best Vigilance Unit, Best Male Investigating Officer, Best Woman Investigating Officer and Best Public Prosecutor.
Odisha Vigilance has appealed to citizens, institutions and civil society organisations to participate actively in the week-long campaign and contribute to the collective effort to build a transparent, accountable and corruption-free state.
