AAP government wants list of officials of ‘doubtful integrity’

In a serious bid to weed out corruption and keep a close watch on the corrupt, the AAP government is in the process of preparing a list of gazetted officers whose integrity is reportedly doubtful in the national capital. The government’s vigilance has sought details from the heads of all departments about those officers whose integrity is said to be doubtful.

A secret letter sent to all the HODs by vigilance secretary Sukesh Kumar Jain has, however, made it clear that in case no information was received by his department, it should be considered that the information was ‘nil’ as far as that particular department was concerned. The list of officers with doubtful integrity is prepared every year by the government.

Earlier, on the directions of the Union home ministry, the AAP government had issued an order to all principal secretaries, secretaries and head of department to provide integrity certificate on 126 Delhi, Andaman and Nicobar Islands Civil Service (Danics) officers, who were either to complete 30 years in service or attain 50 or 55 years of age on or before September 30, 2016.

The MHA had sought “integrity certificate” of all these officers from the city government so that it could proceed against the corrupt and inefficient bureaucrats. The move was part of reforms and making bureaucracy more accountable and functional by the Narendra Modi Government at the Centre. The integrity report will form part of the annual confidential appraisal reports (ACARs) of the bureaucrats.

In his order, then deputy commissioner (services) Mukesh Kumar Sharma had said that the review of the mechanism was to be carried out to ensure probity of the government servants, and to strengthen administration. The ACAR is designed to adjudge the performance of government servants every year in the areas of work, conduct, character and capabilities.