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Bhubaneswar, May 27: Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Wednesday launched the Facebook page of the vigilance department and a helpline number to help citizens file complaints directly against corrupt officials.
The Facebook page of the vigilance department was launched by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at the state secretariat along with a helpline number.
“Leveraging of technology in the functioning of the government can address the challenges of corruption to a large extent,” Patnaik said during the launch at the state secretariat. “The adoption of technology can mitigate various factors that lead to corruption such lack of transparency, cumbersome procedures and delays in decision making,” he said.
It is essential to have a transparent and foolproof system to ensure appropriate accountability at every level of hierarchy in public administration, Patnaik said. The page — www.facebook.com/odisha.vigilance — will be a milestone in curbing corruption, he added.
“The younger generation will be more involved now in fighting corruption. Citizens can not only report crime but also narrate their positive experiences,” he said.
The Chief Minister clarified that the information can be periodically monitored and made available to the public to make them aware about specific corruption challenges.
“Those who do not have access to the internet can make use of the tollfree helpline number 1064 on all working days to lodge complaints while maintaining anonymity,” he said.
Vigilance department director KB Singh said his department will conceal the identity of informers and complainants who are required to type their secret information in the message box in the Facebook page.
The vigilance department had registered 368 corruption cases in 2014 against 285 cases in 2013. Till date its anti-corruption wing has registered 98 corruption cases against 47 Indian Administrative Service officers and 11 cases against seven Indian Police Service officers.
