Delhi: Kejriwal readies plan to end bribes in govt departments

The Delhi government is working on an ambitious new plan to curb corruption within its system and in the BJP-led municipal corporations by bringing areas vulnerable to bribery under electronic surveillance and ensuring clearer segregation of powers.

The Delhi government is working on an ambitious new plan to curb corruption within its system and in the BJP-led municipal corporations by bringing areas vulnerable to bribery under electronic surveillance and ensuring clearer segregation of powers.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal. (HT File Photo)

The vigilance department has told the chief secretary that bribes are being received through touts in key departments instead of officers doing so directly, making it difficult to nab the culprits, sources said.

Chief secretary KK Sharma has asked all departments to identify zones and field units prone to such practices and deploy CCTV cameras to keep a watch, indicating a greater resolve to execute the anti-graft agenda that the Aam Aadmi Party leveraged to sweep the Delhi assembly elections earlier this year.

To curb corruption, it has been recommended that sanctioning and monitoring authorities be separate so that the same officers are not incharge of both functions.

“Vigilance is a major priority area for us. An elaborate plan has been chalked out and a final report has been submitted to the CM. The vigilance department received feedback that bribes are still being accepted and the situation is proving difficult to tackle,” a senior Delhi government official said, adding that surprise inspections would be carried out frequently by senior officers.

Chief minister Arvind Kejirwal had asked Sharma to draw up a road map and take steps for preventive vigilance, punitive action, surveillance and detection, sources said.

Soon after coming to power, the AAP government launched an anti-corruption helpline — 011-27357169 — that received about 10,000 calls each day. Later, the government launched a four-digit number (1031) to report sting operations.

“All departments have been asked to examine their vigilance set-up and propose improvements. If they need additional staff, they should provide information for that too,” a senior Delhi government official said after Sharma’s meeting with department heads, the minutes of which were accessed by HT. The municipal corporations that have been receiving flak for corruption have also been asked to make most of their services available online and reduce the human interface.