LSGD most corrupt department in Kerala, says Vigilance survey

Thursday 23 March 2017 12:52 PM IST

by Our Correspondent

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Thiruvananthapuram: The Local-Self Government Department (LSGD) is the most corrupt government department in Kerala, according to a survey conducted by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB).

LSGD accounted for 10.34 percent of total corruption among the 61 state departments. The revenue department with 9.24 percent share in overall corruption stood second.

The third Kerala Anti-Corruption Index (KAI) prepared by the VACB following a three-month-long survey categorized 61 departments under five categories based on the levels of corruption, such as very high corruption, high corruption, medium corruption, low corruption, and very low corruption.

The departments with the lowest share of corruption are the Information Technology department (0.22 percent), NCC directorate (0.24 percent) and the Non-Resident Keralites' Affairs department (0.25 percent).

Ranked 57th in the index, the Vigilance Department has a share of 0.33 percent.

The survey report has been submitted to the chief minister’s office.

The 61 departments are ranked on account of the percentage contributed by each to the total corruption, according to the VACB website.

The index was prepared using data provided by 130 experts in the research and training wing of the VACB.

For the survey, a first-of-its-kind in the country, information was collected from as many as 10,770 respondents across the state.

The research wing also analyzed all corruption-related complaints against public officials filed at the VACB by the general public. The petitions pertained to: payment of bribe to access a public service, delayed services, denial of services, wastage of public money due to misuse of power, poor quality of services delivered, and implementing schemes of no use to the public.

A study was also conducted in Alappuzha and Ernakulam districts to gather public opinion on corruption in public life.

Based on the survey results, the VACB has recommended a host of measures to combat corruption. They include: maximum utilization of the e-governance facility in departments that interact directly with the general public, impart anti-corruption training to new recruits in the departments that topped the list, initiatives to ensure transparency in administration and accountability in all the departments, etc.

The survey for the fourth Kerala Anti-Corruption Index will begin in June, officials said.

The thirteen departments that feature in the ‘very high corruption’ category and their share are as follows:

LSGD (10.34%)

Revenue (9.24%)

Public works (5.32%)

Health and social welfare (4.98%)

Transport (4.97%)

General education (4.72%)

Police (4.66%)

Water resources (3.65%)

Food and civil supplies (3.50%)

Excise (2.86%)

Mining and geology (2.78%)

Commercial taxes (2.62%)

Agriculture (2.50%)

Tags: corruption Vigilance