Haryana to have anti-corruption cell at Chief Minister’s office

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, December 9

The Haryana Chief Minister, Manohar Lal Khattar, today announced to set an anti-corruption cell at the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) and made it mandatory for all members of raiding teams of all departments to carry body cameras during raids.

Khattar announced this while presiding over a state-level function organised on the occasion of International Anti-Corruption Day in Panchkula.

“Every member of the raiding team of the Police, Excise and Taxation, Mining, Transport or any other department has to keep a body camera on a working-mode while conducting raids in future,” the CM said. “The raiding officer will have to ensure that body camera remains in a working-mode as they raid any government, private property, shop, house or roads,” the CM added.

The CM also launched a Whatsapp No. 94178-91064 for the general public to report any incident of corruption. “Besides, any video or audio clip related to the incident sent by the complainant will be investigated by the anti-corruption cell at the CMO immediately,” the CM said.

A helpline No. 1064, which would remain operational round-the-clock was also launched on the occasion.

“Any complainant, who will submit three correct complaints in a year will be awarded. Such complainant will have choice either to take award at a public function or at his home,” the CM added.

While describing corruption as cancer, the Chief Minister (CM) said, “Corruption has been declared a legal offence, but collective efforts are needed to uproot the menace from society. Though our constitution makers have made provision of decentralisation of power among four pillars of democracy to keep a check on one another, yet we have not been able to root out corruption completely,” the CM added.

Earlier, speaking on the occasion, Haryana Chief Secretary Keshni Anand Arora thanked the CM for his initiative to celebrate International Anti-Corruption Day in the state. She said it was for the first time in the history of Haryana that International Anti-Corruption Day was celebrated. Various reforms were initiated in the country and the state to keep a check on corruption, she added.