Corruption complaints decline 52%, railways & banks top grievance list

A large number of complaints of corruption were received against the railways and government-owned banks, according to the latest report of anti-corruption body CVC.

However, there has been an over 52-per cent decline in the number of corruption complaints received by the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) last year as against 2016.

In its annual report for 2017 tabled in Parliament recently, the watchdog said it received a total of 23,609 complaints last year -- the lowest since 2011 -- as against 49,847 in 2016.

"In majority of complaints the allegations were found to be either vague or unverifiable. The Commission received a considerable number of complaints against public servants working in the state governments and other organisations who do not come under the jurisdiction of the Commission or which are of administrative nature," it said.

The number of complaints received by the CVC in 2015 were 29,838. It had got 62,362, 31,432 and 37,039 complaints of alleged corruption during 2014, 2013 and 2012 respectively, the report said.

As many as 16,929 corruption complaints were received by the CVC in 2011.

Besides the complaints directly made to the CVC, there were over 60,000 complaints sent to Chief Vigilance Officers of various departments.

Giving details, the CVC said the highest of 12,089 such complaints were against railway employees. Of these, 9,575 were disposed of and 2,514 were pending. Further, a total of 1,037 complaints against railway employees were pending for more than six months.

A total of 8,243 corruption complaints were received against various local bodies such as Delhi Jal Board (DJB), North, East and South Delhi civic bodies and New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), the CVC report said.

As many as 8,018 complaints were against officials of various banks.

There has been an increase in the number of corruption complaints received against employees of the Delhi government.

A total of 6,819 graft complaints were received against employees of the Government of National Capital Territory in 2017 as against 969 in 2016.

As many as 2,730 complaints of alleged corruption were received against employees of Central Board of Direct taxes (CBDT), followed by 2,713 against those in the petroleum ministry and 1,194 against those working with Central Board of Excise and Customs (now Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs or CBIC).

A total of 1,662 corruption complaints were received against Food and Consumer Affairs Ministry, 1,317 against those in insurance, 1,313 against labour department officials and 856 against those with department of telecommunications.

There were 932 complaints of corruption against coal ministry employees, 780 related to employees of the health and family welfare department, 682 against those in defence ministry, 605 against information and broadcasting ministry staff, 436 against officials of shipping ministry and 228 against those in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), among other government organisations.