Hyderabad: The Telangana government seems to be adopting dual standards while dealing with corrupt staff and officials in various departments. While the audits by CAG and state audit wings revealed that about 50 officials and staff had siphoned off crores of public funds in various municipalities across the state, the government initiated stringent action against only a few and let the others off the hook.
In the case of some staff, the government booked criminal cases and suspended them, while for others, it just recovered the siphoned off amounts and allowed them to continue in their jobs. As many as 47 officials and staff in 11 municipalities were found to have indulged in financial irregularities. Of them, the government suspended 32, filed criminal cases against three and did not take any stringent action against the remaining 15.
For instance, in Suryapet municipality, G. Dayakar Reddy, a junior assistant, was found to have misappropriated Rs 23.80 lakh and D. Srinivas, Rs 19,700. Both were suspended and the amount recovered. But in Wanaparthy municipality, only the amount was recovered from G. Srinivasulu, a junior assistant who had siphoned off Rs 94,000.
In Nalgonda municipality, audits revealed that property tax of Rs 3.32 crore had been misappropriated by five revenue officers and 16 bill collectors since 2011. After much hue and cry was raised over the issue, the government finally issued orders suspending them on September 2, but the amount is yet to be recovered. Even in Sangareddy municipality, then commissioners K.V.V.R. Raju, Veera Reddy, manager Ramesh, G. Vikramasimha Reddy and accountant Latha were found to have misappropriated Rs 86 lakh. Attempts were made to save them by terming the CAG report as “false”.
Later, cases were filed against them but the amount is yet to be recovered. In Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's home constituency Gajwel, bill collectors in the municipality were found to have misappropriated about Rs 14.99 crore. Officials recovered the amount and departmental action against the perpetrators is pending. In Jagitial municipality, revenue officer D. Rajanna was found to have misused Rs 9 lakh. The amount was recovered and he was suspended.
In Bellampally municipality, N. Rajkumar was found to have misused Rs 1.85 lakh. The government only recovered the amount. A senior officer of the municipal administration department admitted to “political pressure” which was obstructing the government from initiating similar action against all who indulged in corruption.
“Though there may be some delay in initiating stringent action against all due to various pressures, it's only temporary and they cannot escape for long. For instance, in Nalgonda, no action could be initiated against 21 officials and staff for nearly four years. But after gathering all the evidences against them, the government has recently suspended them at one go. This will be applicable to other staff too, who might be evading punishment for now,” he said.
Singapore inspiration turns cold:
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, who also holds the portfolio of municipal administration, had been impressed with Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau during his trip last year and had announced to set up the same in TS to check corruption. Mr Rao had personally visited the bureau and learnt about its functioning. However, more than a year later, nothing has come of the proposal.
While the TS government has been claiming to have adopted a policy of zero tolerance towards corruption, the reality seems different with different quantum of punishment being handed out to staff despite them indulging in similar financial irregularities. The only notable measure the CM had initiated to check corruption after his Singapore visit was to start a toll-free number in January this year to enable people lodge complaints against corrupt staff.
The cell received thousands of calls every day initially. But the negligence on the part of the government to properly publicise the toll-free number has resulted in it becoming almost defunct with only a handful of calls being received now. The complaints received on this number are forwarded to the Anti Corruption Bureau for inquiry. Meanwhile, the corrupt staff, who were initially scared when the toll-free number was launched, are to their old ways.
