Bhubaneswar: With the inauguration of State Vigilance Academy, Odisha became the first state in the country to have its own anti-corruption training wing.
Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi who opened it at Satyanagar here Wednesday said, “Training is the most important part of public servants, and it is more so for the officers in uniform. The State Vigilance Academy (SVA) will work dedicatedly for upgrading the knowledge and skills of Vigilance officers so that they maintain their professional edge in investigation of newly emerging cyber offences, financial frauds and heinous crimes.”
Padhi advised the Vigilance director to train the Chief Vigilance Officers (CVOs) of various government departments for enhancing their skills to evaluate tender papers, contract orders, financial awards and other documents from the angles of transparency and neutrality.
On the occasion, the Chief Secretary also launched a coffee table book prepared by the Vigilance Directorate.
Additional Chief Secretary, Home, Asit Kumar Tripathy said, “Training works as a great motivator for the public servants. It not only enhances their skills but also adds to their zeal and commitment.”
DGP Rajendra Prasad Sharma said with the setting up of the academy, the crime investigation and conviction rate would get a boost. Odisha Vigilance has a created a good record of 51 per cent conviction rate in the last years, he added.
Vigilance Director Debashis Panigrahi said the academy would be developed as a centre of excellence in the areas like cyber forensics, cell phone forensics, transactions in financial markets, transactions by non-banking financial institutions, use of advanced technologies in crime, social media, etc.
The institute would conduct training courses for investigators, police officers of various cadres, prosecutors and CVOs of various departments. The academy will also offer internship courses for law graduates from various universities, the director said.
The academy consists of a mini-auditorium, classroom, library, reception and lobby. The academy’s website will be developed in due course, he added.
