For the first time in the State, 14 grama panchayats in the district were declared ‘corruption-free’ by the State government on Friday.
Declaring the local bodies as corruption free, good governance panchayats, K.T. Jaleel, Minister for Local Self-Government, said the State government hoped to declare all the panchayats corruption-free during the next four years. That the Panchayat Department and Vigilance and Research and Training Centre had jointly held a survey and found 14 of the panchayat come under the definition for being ‘corruption-free’ was an important landmark, he said.
The grama panchayats that have been declared corruption-free are Mutholi, Thalappalam, Kaduthuruthy, Poonjar, Elikkulam, chirakkadavu, Kanjirapplly, Koruthode,Pampady, Kangazha, Thrikodithanam, Njeezhoor, Maravanthuruthu, and Veliyannoor.
Mr. Jaleel referred to the recent report by the Vigilance Department which had found the Panchayats to be the most-corrupt in the State and said the local bodies should take a self-critical look about the report. He said the government was engaged in an effort to bring in more transparency in the governance of the local bodies. The port for the people can be used to upload any complaints regarding the officials of the department, he said.
He pointed out that the State government was moving ahead with the initiative to redeploy the government employees and giving more teeth to the senior officials and elected members in taking stringent disciplinary action against erring officials.
Mons joseph, MLA, presided. District Panchayat president Joshy Philip, District Collector C.A. Latha, Vigilance SP Johnson Joseph and others spoke.
