>ODISHA STATE VIGILANCE CREATES RECORD IN THE COUNTRY

ODISHA STATE VIGILANCE CREATES RECORD IN THE COUNTRY 16/01/2012
ODISHA NEWS:

With the registering of an all-time high number of cases of 440, out of which 91 cases relating to disproportionate asset cases, the State Vigilance has created a record of sorts in year 2011.

The anti-corruption wing has topped the list in the country on this count. Director, State Vigilance Anup Patnaik while recently addressing his officers at a review meeting, hailed the efforts of all field staff, investigating officers, Special Public Prosecutors, and technical, statistical wing, taxation and forest wing staff for the achievement.

Among others, IGs Santosh Upadhyay, Surendra Panwar and Amrit Mohan Prasad were present.The Sambalpur Vigilance Division contributed the maximum number of cases (90) followed by Cuttack (78), Jeypore (58), Bhubaneswar (56), Berhampur (55), Balasore (53) and Vigilance Cell (50).

Out of the cases tried by various Vigilance courts in 2011, roughly 37 per cent of them got convictions as per the preliminary calculations. The total number of cases where trials were completed was 249.The total number of cases registered against Class I officers was 79 while a record number of 91 disproportionate assets cases were booked.

The forest cases detected in a year totaled at 135. The total number of cases detected by the commercial tax unit was 363, and an amount of Rs 11.59 crore was collected as revenue against the 2010 figure of Rs 10.99 crore.


The State Vigilance achieved its self-prescribed targets for 2011 under all heads, notably in registration of cases, disposal of years-old cases pending investigation, disposal of cases pending trial, disposal of file inquiries as well as secret inquiries.

Another notable achievement in the year was attachment of disproportionate assets of three All-India Service officers.

The Odisha Vigilance was the fourth in the All-India reporting in 2010.
Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan were the states which registered more cases in 2010. The State Vigilance now has a unique distinction of having its own setups in all the 30 revenue districts of the state.

SIDDHARTHA SHANKAR MISHRA,
BUREAU CHIEF, THESE DAYS,
ODISHA