Initiatives for Good and Vigilant Governance

• 03 Nov 2020

Why in News

Recently, the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) has come up with new initiatives for good and vigilant governance on the last day of the Vigilance Awareness Week 2020.

Key Points

• Launches and Initiatives:
  
  • “Ideas Box on Good Governance Practices in a Pandemic” has been launched and operationalised both on the DARPG as well as on the MyGov platform.
    
    • It will crowdsource ideas related to good governance.
  • Social media tweets on the “Best Practices in e-governance” have been launched.
  • Round table discussion on “Satark Bharat, Samriddh Bharat” (Vigilant India, Prosperous India) was held.
    
    • It focused on key issues of preventive vigilance in the pursuit of “Naitik Bharat” (Ethical India) which includes ethics training in public services, a social audit of ethical practices, development of measurable metrics for corruption and disproportionately high impact of corruption on governance.
• Vigilance Awareness Week:
  
  • The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) observes the Week every year during the week in which the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (31^st October) falls.
  • Objective: It affirms India’s commitment to the promotion of integrity and probity in public life through citizen participation and reiterates Government’s resolve to continue the crusade against corruption.
  • Theme for 2020: In 2020, it was observed from 27^th October to 2^nd November with the theme of “Satark Bharat, Samriddh Bharat”.
• Government Initiatives to Prevent and Curb Corruption:
  
  • Amendments in the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 to make the processes more equitable and reduce opportunities for corruption.
  • Introduction of the Lokpal and Lokayuktas.
  • Scaled up disposal of cases by the Central Information Commission (CIC) and the DARPG.
  • Level playing field for employment opportunities to lower-level jobs by the National Recruitment Agency (NRA).
  • Introduction of e-governance and Direct Benefit Scheme.
  • Other Related Legislations: Right to Information Act 2005, Judges (Inquiry) Act 1968, Whistleblower Protection Act, 2014, Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002, Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Amendment Act 2016, etc.

Central Vigilance Commission

• About:
  
  • It is an independent body which is only responsible to the Parliament.
  • It is the apex vigilance institution monitoring all vigilance activity under the Central Government and advising various authorities in Central Government organisations in planning, executing, reviewing and reforming their vigilance work.
• Background:
  
  • It was set up by the Government in February 1964 on the recommendations of the Committee on Prevention of Corruption, headed by K Santhanam.
  • The Parliament enacted the Central Vigilance Commission Act, 2003 conferring statutory status on the CVC.
• Composition:
  
  • It is a multi-member commission consisting of a Central Vigilance Commissioner (Chairperson) and not more than 2 Vigilance Commissioners (members).
  • They are appointed by the President on the recommendations of a Committee consisting of the Prime Minister (Chairperson), the Minister of Home Affairs (Member) and the Leader of the Opposition in the House of the People (Member).
• Tenure:
  
  • The term of office of the Central Vigilance Commissioner and the Vigilance Commissioners is 4 years from the date on which they enter their office or till they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier.

Source: PIB