Revised vigilance manual to strengthen anti-corruption drive in Kerala: Minister Chennithala

Thiruvananthapuram, Jul 8 (PTI) Kerala Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Wednesday said the revised vigilance manual would serve as a milestone in the state’s efforts to eliminate corruption in the government machinery and tackle emerging forms of graft. Releasing the revised manual under the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau’s Project Zero initiative, Chennithala said the manual had been updated in view of the changing nature of corruption over the years. He said the revised manual contains special provisions to trap officials accepting bribes through digital financial transactions. It also provides for collecting details of government employees involved in benami transactions and those amassing disproportionate assets, he said. The minister said the revised manual includes provisions for introducing a separate uniform for vigilance personnel and expediting the digitisation of vigilance operations. He said it lays down detailed procedures for issuing vigilance clearance certificates to officials appointed to key posts, the functioning of vigilance courts, and the conduct of surprise inspections. It also provides for expediting action in false cases registered against government employees and establishing a centralised processing system to consolidate vigilance complaints and monitor the progress of investigations. According to Chennithala, the number of chapters in the manual has been increased from 14 to 29 to make it more comprehensive. Speaking at the function, Kerala Lokayukta Justice N Anil Kumar said Kerala should strive to become "corruption-free" like Denmark. He suggested that the department convene regular meetings of internal vigilance officers to improve the efficiency of anti-corruption measures. Transport Minister C P John, who attended the event as the chief guest, said every government employee should be able to retire with the satisfaction of having maintained an unblemished service record free from corruption. He suggested that the department consider publishing a corruption index based on the performance of various government departments. PTI TBA SSK