'Fight against corruption should go beyond electoral process'

Nagaland today joined the rest of the nation by observing Vigilance Awareness Week with a pledge to follow probity and rule of law in all walks of life.
Marking the launching of the week-long Vigilance Awareness, State Vigilance Commissioner, K T Sukhalu administered pledge to the staff of Vigilance Commission and others.
Admitting that corruption has been one of the major obstacles to economic, political and social progress of the nation, it was pledged neither to take nor offer bribe.
In his keynote address, Sukhalu said that corruption is not a new phenomenon in Naga society.
Our states debt has consistently been on the rise and yet insufficiency of funds continues to chronically debilitate our policy implementation, he said.

He added both public and the government are equally responsible for mass corruption.

Expressing that corruption is an all pervasive issue and it has become such an accepted norm in our society, he lauded the social organisations including the churches for creating awareness on the importance and long-term consequences of clean elections since the general perception of the public is that the root of corruption lies in elections.
However, he said the fight against corruption should be taken beyond the electoral process.
He also added that corruption is not confined to backdoor appointment and multi crore scams alone but it includes bribery, cheating, submission of false certificates.

Highlighting the Commissions achievement for 2016-17, Director and DIGP (Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Police), I. Meyionen revealed that the new cases registered in both Preliminary Enquiry and Regular Cases from November 2016 to October 2017 is 41 while the cases under investigation is 83 and under trial is 18.
He said during the last one year, the Commission has disposed 35 cases and one person has been terminated from service. Over Rs 1.79 crore has been recovered during investigations, he said.