At Kumbalanghi village office, the pendency of applications may soon become a thing of the past if the newly launched initiative of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau turns out to be a success.
A camp to address the pendency of applications at the office was the most important decision taken at the first district-level meeting of VACB-NGO Interactive (VNI), an initiative launched by VACB director Jacob Thomas as part of his concept of ‘creative vigilance,’ held in the city on Saturday.
Vigilance officials, NGOs, and village officials will join hands in the endeavour. “This is an experiment and if found successful, it will be replicated across the district,” Vigilance sources said.
Participatory vigilance
Right to Information activist D.B. Binu said the initiative would soon spread to other offices, taking participatory vigilance forward. The meeting chaired by Sasidharan, Superintendent of Police, VACB Special Cell, witnessed a flurry of suggestions from representatives of various NGOs.
Call for helpdesks
M.R. Rajendran Nair, district president of the Anti-Corruption People’s Movement, called for vigilance helpdesks at major locations through NGOs. He also emphasised the need for drawing on the expertise of retired vigilance officials and increased awareness.
Ashok Pandalam, district coordinator of the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information, said that notice boards on Right to Service and the Vigilance Information Board should be displayed prominently in all offices.
NGOs, Vigilance, and village officials
to join hands in the endeavour to address the issue
