Imphal, July 21 2009: Comparing the Vigilance Commission to a paper tiger as the administrative authority repeatedly fails to act on its recommendations, veteran MPP leader O Joy has called for empowerment of the Vigilance Commission under Section 9 so as to enable it to work independently.

In his response, Chief Minister O Ibobi who is also in charge of that Home Department, said that out of many cases, against which the Vigilance Commission recommended necessary actions, FIRs have been registered with regard to eight cases.

Due actions have also been taken in two cases against which major penalty was recommended.

The Chief Minister also instructed Ministers and officers not to keep recommendations of Vigilance Commission pending but to put them into action as soon as possible.

O Joy took up last year's report of the State Vigilance Commission for discussion in the House as a public interest motion today.

The same report was tabled in the State Assembly on March 19 this year.

Initiating the motion, O Joy recalled that the State Vigilance Commission was established on May 28, 1981 by a resolution of the Government following some major scandals in Health Department, Tribal Development Department and Power Department.

Joy noted that the Vigilance Commission recommended different actions, including major and minor penalties, in more than 200 different cases involving cases of corruption and fraudulent practices in different departments between 1999 and 2008.However, the administrative authority has failed to act on the recommendations in majority of the cases.

He asked the ruling bench as to why the Government did not take any action against MACS Project Director TR Kom who registered his Government quarters in his own name in addition to effecting fake appointments, misappropriation of public money and utilising forged certificate to get jobs.

Joy questioned the utility of the existence of Vigilance Commission when the Government was unable to act on its recommendations.

Questioning the failure of the Government to take up necessary actions, Joy asked whether any Minister had taken up any action in accordance to recommendations of the Vigilance Commission.

Responding to the queries of the veteran MPP leader, Chief Minister O Ibobi said that the Vigilance Commission registered 156 different cases in 2008.Counting pending ones, altogether 192 cases have been registered.

Out of 12 cases against which the Commission recommended major penalties, the Government has taken up due actions in two cases, Ibobi said.

FIRs have been filed against eight other cases.

In addition to processing six cases for awarding minor penalties, chargesheets have been framed in six other cases.

While FIR pertaining to a case has been returned, 126 cases have been disposed.

At present, 166 cases are pending, the Chief Minister informed the House.

Stating MACS Project Director TR Kom has been suspended, Ibobi said that TR Kom sanctioned about Rs 3/4 crores even as MACS Project Director is authorised to sanction only up to Rs 50,000 .

A departmental enquiry has been instituted over TR Kom while some other officers were detained under NSA, Ibobi added.

Moreover, a departmental enquiry is also in process over a Commanding Officer of the Home Guard who has been suspended for making 178 appointments on the sly.

Directing all Ministers and concerned officers to put into all recommendations made by the Vigilance Commission as soon as possible, the Chief Minister assured that the maximum efforts would be put in so that the Vigilance Commission can function at the optimum level.

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