In a first, JK to have full-fledged Anti-Corruption Bureau

Srinagar: To tackle and eradicate corruption in the State in a more effective and meaningful manner, the State Administrative Council (SAC), which met here Wednesday under the chairmanship of Governor, Satya Pal Malik gave nod for setting up the first-ever “Anti-Corruption Bureau” in the State.
Advisors to the Governor B B Vyas, K Vijay Kumar & Khurshid Ahmad Ganai and Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam were present at the meeting.
Briefing about the significant decision, Chief Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam said the establishment of full-fledged Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) would do away with the shortcomings and multiplicity of roles in the existing anti-corruption mechanism operational in the State.
that ever since the placement of the State under the Governor’s Rule, the Governor’s Administration has been single-mindedly pursuing the agenda for improving delivery of development and governance in a transparent and result-oriented manner.
Keeping this objective in view, he said, the Governor’s Administration has worked out a mission which shifts the focus from outlays to outcomes and improving governance through various initiatives which, inter-alia, include establishment of cells for (a) public grievance redressal (b) monitoring identified mega projects and flagship programs and (c) setting up of an Anti-Corruption Bureau based on the best models in the country.
Chief Secretary said with a view to providing clean, transparent and people-centric governance to the people, the Governor’s Administration recognized the need to tackle the menace of corruption as critical to good governance in the State. To achieve this, strengthening of the Anti-Corruption Laws and the Vigilance Organization based on the best models in the Country has been accorded top priority.
He said in the State, at present, there is a Vigilance Organization which implements the various provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act Samvat, 2006. There is a State Vigilance Commission also. Under the existing set up, many shortcomings have been noticed which hamper the effective implementation of the provisions of the Anti-Corruption Laws, he said and added that the establishment of ACB would do away with the shortcomings in the existing anti-corruption mechanism and make it more effective in tackling graft.
He said the SAC in an earlier meeting accordingly decided to set up an “Anti-Corruption Bureau” which shall be based on the best models in the Country.
Giving details the Chief Secretary said based on careful analysis and study of the various models of the States in particular, Andhra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra, a new framework/apparatus under the nomenclature “Anti-Corruption Bureau” is to be set up in J&K. “For this, amendments in the Prevention of Corruption Act Samvat, 2006 and Jammu and Kashmir State Vigilance Commission Act, 2011 have been approved to give the Anti-Corruption Bureau more teeth to deal with complaints of corruption and take these to their logical end,” he said.
He said under the Anti-Corruption Bureau, it is also planned to set up 6 additional Police Stations at Udhampur (jurisdiction Udhampur and Reasi Districts), Rajouri (Rajouri and Poonch Districts), Doda (Doda, Kishtwar and Ramban Districts), Anantnag (Anantnag, Pulwama, Kulgam and Shopian Districts), Baramulla (Baramulla, Kupwara, Bandipora and Ganderbal Districts) and Central (whole of the State). While the existing 2 Police Stations of Jammu will have jurisdiction of Jammu, Samba and Kathua Districts, Srinagar Police Station will have jurisdiction of Srinagar, Budgam, Leh and Kargil Districts, he said.