The Central Vigilance Commission observes and enjoins upon all public institutions in the country to observe Vigilance Awareness Week every year during the week in which the birthday of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (October 31) falls. This year Vigilance Awareness Week falls between October 27 – November 2. The theme for this year is ‘Satark Bharat, Samriddh Bharat’ (Vigilant India, Prosperous India).” The word vigilance when used in this context means to maintain vigil so that there is no laxity whereby public funds are misused. The Chief Vigilance Commission is a supra-body created to control corruption in all public funded institutions including banks and public utilities.
No one needs to be told that corruption is a major hindrance to the progress of the nation. Corruption sucks the lifeblood of the country and keeps the large majority of people at subsistence levels even while a very small minority cream off the national wealth. Yet the same corrupt people take a pledge to fight corruption year after year without batting an eyelid because like every other observance, this too is a ritual. However, it must be said that in a democracy unless citizens take responsibility and become whistle blowers against corruption, this menace cannot be rooted out. Today the large majority of the poor and destitute in this country are so disempowered that they would not dare call out corruption even if they are at the receiving end. From distribution of poor quality rice under Government schemes to inferior quality roads and bridges constructed by contractors that have to shell out money to politicians and engineers, we have it all despite the years Vigilance Week observation.
Nevertheless Vigilance Week seeks to nudge the conscience of those in charge of accounts and disbursements of funds including those in charge of purchases which is where leakages happen. Also corruption is not merely stealing from the public exchequer. It also means theft of time and that is a standard lapse in most states including ours where government employees, especially the clerical staff are not in their seats at the designated time of 10 AM. They casually walk in an hour or two later and leave before the stipulated working time. And no one has been able to set this straight. Besides punctuality there is also the ethics of timely disposal of work and optimising productivity by the use of technology.
Unfortunately, governments have not put in place a mechanism for checking the daily output from every staff and to evaluate and monitor whether they are getting value for money. India is notorious for not maintaining strict working hours and timelines. Those who deal with government departments know what unnecessary delays they have to face. Government employees don’t believe in the adage “Time is Money,” but others who do business with government live by that adage. Unless government employees are trained to work like employees of private organizations, this country will continue to lag behind on all fronts.