By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 6: Corruption-heavy Meghalaya is yet to have any anti-graft unit like the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption in neighbouring Assam.
The Assam directorate traps government officers, including police personnel, accepting bribes almost every day.
Neither the Meghalaya government nor the politicians have made any move to set up an anti-corruption unit that takes swift action based on complaints from the people.
West Bengal, too, has an anti-corruption branch.
In Meghalaya, corruption cases are usually filed with the police or occasionally with the Lokayukta while the chief secretary acts as the state vigilance commissioner.
A senior official chose to remain silent when asked if there are any plans to constitute an anti-corruption branch in the state.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah said Meghalaya was the most corrupt state.
Corruption has remained one of the most debated topics in the state.
Cases of scams have frequently been reported in the state.
From the vehicle ‘scam’ and rice ‘scam’ to Saubhagya scheme irregularities, the state is mired in allegations of graft.
Only recently, the Comptroller and Auditor General, in its report tabled in the Assembly, pointed out that despite an advisory from the Cabinet secretary, the MePDCL took an injudicious decision for awarding works under the Saubhagya scheme to contractors at their quoted rates resulting in avoidable expenditure of Rs 156 crore.
