Haryana Lokayukta laments acute staff shortage

Haryana Lokayukta has said there is an acute shortage of manpower in the organisation because it has not been allowed to employ its own staff.
All regular employees are drawn from different Haryana government departments and the organisation is struggling on the mercy of other departments, state Lokayukta, Justice (retd) Pritam Pal mentioned in the Lokayukta Haryana annual report for 2012-13.
The former Punjab and Haryana High Court Judge, pointed out that the Lokayukta's office has been understaffed, since its inception.
"Resultantly, the staff crunch is an impediment for discharge of Lokayukta institution's functions smoothly and expeditiously. This issue has been raised with the concerned authority (govt) time and again, but to no avail.

"I am constrained to observe that the scarcity of staff in Lokayukta organisation has not been removed. Thus, inadequate and posting of staff even less than the sanctioned posts, is the biggest road block in quick discharge of the functions of Lokayukta organisation given the quantum of cases and complaints," he lamented.
It was only yesterday that Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda referred the issue of some Congress MLAs and their relatives of demanding money in lieu of getting Change of Land Use done as alleged by the main opposition INLD, to the state Lokayukta.
In its report, the Lokayukta said the present system of borrowing employees on deputation from other state government departments needs to be amended and the institution should be given free hand in this respect.

The Lokayukta has also pointed out, it has been generally observed that as and when any complaint is forwarded to government departments for inquiry or reply, action is not taken within the stipulated time.