**Bhubaneswar: ** Gracing the State Level Vigilance Awareness Week 2018, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik called upon all public servants to maintain the highest standards of probity and integrity and serve the people in the true spirit of service. He also appealed to the people of Odisha to join fight against corruption and build a better society for ourselves as well as the future generation.
In his keynote address, the Chief Minister said, “I am glad that the Vigilance Awarness Week is being observed throughout the state on the theme ‘Eradicate Corruption – Build a New India” in a befitting manner involving all stake holders and all sections of the society, especially the students and the youth.”
He reminded, “All of us are aware that anti-corruption and transparency are the two key elements to ensure probity and accountability in the public sphere. These are also critical to ensure development and good governance.”
“In our state, it has been our persistent efforts to deliver basic services to the people at the grass roots level in a fair and transparent manner. It has also been the firm resolve of my Government to eradicate corruption in implementation of welfare and development schemes,” he averred.
The Chief Minister also extolled, “I am happy to note that Odisha Vigilance has recorded 51 percent conviction in vigilance cases in the first ten months of this calendar year, which is 4 percent higher than the rate of conviction during 2 previous years.”
“My Government has taken a series of measures to improve the investigative capacity and prosecution system of the State Vigilance. A State Vigilance Academy is also coming up at Bhubaneswar to upgrade the knowledge and skills of Vigilance officers on a continuous basis so as to retain their professional egde,” he informed.
Concluding his speech the Chief Minister said, “I congratulate Odisha Vigilance for its excellent track record in combating corruption and exhort the vigilance officers to work with even greater zeal and dedication. I also call upon all public servants to maintain the highest standards of probity and integrity and serve the people in the true spirit of service,” adding further, “I appeal to the people of Odisha to join fight against corruption and build a better society for ourselves as well as the future generation.”
The Chief Minister also administered the pledge on the solemn occasion: “I believe that corruption is being one of the major obstacles to economic, political and social progress of our country. I believe that all stakeholders, such as government, citizens and private sector, need to work together to eradicate corruption. I realize citizen should be vigilant and commit to highest standard of honesty and integrity at all times and support to fight against corruption. I, therefore, pledge to follow probity and rule of law in all walks of life to neither take nor offer bribe to perform all tasks in an honest and transparent manner, to act in public interest, to live by example exhibiting integrity in personal behaviour, to report any incidence of corruption to the appropriate authority.”
Besides, the Chief Minister also distributed the prizes to best division and winners of school and college level competitions.
In his address, Odisha Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi said, “On the occasion of the observance of Vigilance Awareness Week 2018, I appeal to all public servants and stakeholders in society to make sincere and concerted efforts to combat corruption in the public sphere and administration. We all know that anti-corruption, development and good governance are intertwined and have to be addressed simultaneously. To meet this end, the State Government has been attaching utmost importance to curb corruption and promote transparency and openness.”
He further said, “In all sectors of government activities, we have leveraged the use of social media and information teachnology in a big way to deliver corruption-free services to the people. The Odisha Right to Public Services Act is also a step in this direction.”
He informed, “Significant steps have been taken in the field of e-governance, digitization of records and online delivery of public services. However, new ways of cheating these systems have also come up as new system have been discovered. So our Vigilance is always aware. Over the years, the Vigilance Department has emerged as a very fine professional organization and is ranked among the leading anti-corruption agencies in the country. I take this occasion to compliment the Director, Vigilance and his team for their commendable performance on the anti-corruption front which has enhanced the stature and reputation of the Vigilance organisation and the State. ”
“We are also promoting preventive vigilance in various departments of the Government and State-run PSUs. However, preventive and punitive vigilance are not enough to eradicate the scourge of corruption and wider involvement of the public is required. The fight against corruption, therefore, needs active support and the participation of the people in order to take strong roots and yield long term results,” further informed the Chief Secretary.
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