Odisha to set up vigilance academy in Bhubaneswar

Seeking peoples participation in the fight against corruption, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Saturday announced that a state vigilance academy will be set up in the state apital soon.

"A state vigilance academy is coming up at Bhubaneswar to upgrade the knowledge of vigilance officers on a continuous basis so as to retain their professional edge," Patnaik said while addressing an event to mark the beginning of the vigilance awareness week here.

Stating that anti-corruption and transparency are the two key elements to ensure probity and accountability in public sphere, Patnaik appealed the people of the state to join the fight against corruption and build a better society.

"It has also been the firm resolve of my government to eradicate corruption in implementation of welfare and development schemes," he said.

The chief minister pointed out that there has been a 4 per cent rise in the conviction rate of vigilance cases in the first 10 months of this calendar year, compared to the previous two years.

"My government has taken a series of measures to improve the investigative capacity and the prosecution system of the state vigilance, he said.

As per the annual report, the vigilance department has recorded 51 per cent conviction rate within first 10 months this year which is nearly 4 per cent higher than the rate of conviction in the past two years.

Patnaik congratulated the vigilance department for its efforts to combat corruption.

Official sources said the vigilance wing has registered 287 criminal cases against 413 persons, including 37 Class-I officers, 33 Class-II officers and 238 Class-III employees till October 31, 2018.

Of the 287 cases registered, 55 cases were made against 57 public servants and 23 persons for acquisition of disproportionate assets amounting to Rs 57.26 crore.

They also said that the vigilance academy is likely to come up in the next six months.

The highest-ever total assets seized by the vigilance department in a single disproportionate asset case was of Rs 7 crore which was also registered this year.

The vigilance also made 148 trap cases against 155 public servants for demand and acceptance of bribe amounting to Rs 12.71 lakhs.