Sports council under the lens of investigation by ACB
By: Muzamil Bhat CK
Srinagar
Anti-Corruption Bureau(ACB) Jammu has asked the sports council to provide it with necessary records of the past three about the various works executed and also about the purchases made so that they can proceed ahead on the complaints received by them.
These details have been sort as the sports activities have taken the centre stage in the entire Jammu and Kashmir with the administration having complete focus on making sports infrastructure even in the rural areas.
In this direction recently a team of Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Jammu visited the office of sports council of Jammu to get the details required for the further investigation.
“Acting on several anonymous complaints, the ACB in connection with the probe, have sought records of construction works executed besides purchases made by the Director General in the last three years,” many news agencies quoted some official sources of ACB from Jammu.
Quoting them further these news agencies in their news reports have claimed that ACB has sought for the period of 2018-19, 2019-20 and 2020-21.
However, sources said that record of works executed without tenders and through open market, payments made in the mentioned period, tender notices of all purchases, firms participating in tenders, bids made, have also been sought.
“The details of supply orders with quality tests, receipts of material, works executed by district officers besides, bills, cash books and other documents (Xerox copies) have also been sought from the Council by the ACB.”
The Surprise Check team also asked the Council to provide records for head wise and year wise budgetary Allocation for these three years.
It is pertinent to mention that pledging zero tolerance towards corruption in government-run offices, Jammu and Kashmir administration has recently directed the Jammu and Kashmir Sports Council to display boards highlighting ‘zero tolerance’ for corruption at all the sub-units.
As per the circular issued by the Secretary, J&K Sports Council, Nuzhat Gull last week with regard to implementation of the decisions taken in the CoS meetings chaired by the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Secretary, Dr Arun Kumar Mehta, read that various decisions were taken in the meetings to bring transparency in the working of the J&K Sports Council and they shall be implemented in letter and spirit.
However, concern over alleged corruption complaints in the department, prompted the government to issue directions to display boards at all sub-units highlighting ‘zero tolerance’ for corruption and installation of complaint boxes in the very first point of the circular issued.
Moreover, stern action is also to be initiated against the employees, who are indulging in Anti National activities, the circular read.
Decisions like optimum utilization of funds in lieu of valuable outcomes, effective utilization of assets created by the Council, publication of the achievements in the leading local media platforms to ensure greater public outreach, closure of old cases which cannot be resolved after considerable delay on account of various aspects, filing appropriate responses for speedy clean up of audit para’s, complete character/antecedents verification of fresh appointees in a time bound manner, were also taken in the meeting.
Besides, taking note of delay in time-bound promotions as per the fixed ladder, the government, according to the circular, has also asked the Council to convene Departmental Promotion Committees (DPC’s) on regular basis to create employee friendly environment vis-vis, establishing a system for conduct of training programmes to the employees for capacity building, convening of regular governing council meetings, ensuring stable tenures on part of employees to facilitate responsibility and accountability, implementation of new guidelines for having Centrally Sponsored Schemes, adequate attention needs to be accorded to the genuine grievances raised by the general public.
With inputs from Agencies
