Tape, send bribe talks of babus: Jaleel
KOCHI: Minister for Local Self Government Department K.T. Jaleel has promised tough action against corrupt officials and strict measures to make the department corruption-free. People can intimate the Anti-Corruption Cell of the department if the officials demand a bribe after secretly shooting or recording the conversations of the officials, the minister said.
“Though warning boards against demanding bribe have been erected at all offices, they are not effective. Hence, new boards will be set up urging the public not to pay bribes and also to communicate the information to the minister’s office. A dedicated website, email id and call centre will also be set up for the general public to pass on any case of officials demanding bribe,” the minister said while attending a meet-the-press programme at Ernakulam Press Club on Friday.
The Minister also asked the officials to publish their wealth and asset details on the website while offering to publish his asset details too on the site. “Effective intervention and support of employees’ unions are crucial for making LSGD corruption-free. Unions should never protect corrupt employees.”
Mr. Jaleel also promised steps to make the LSGD as a common service which is now a part of various other departments. Though measures for integration of the department have started during the tenure of former minister Paloli Muhammad Kutty, they were sabotaged during the UDF regime.
The department will launch a three-month-long tax collection drive on July 1.Penal interest would be waived during the drive and tax arrears would be collected. There are plans for periodic property tax revision like an average five per cent hike per year. Discussions are needed to reach a consensus as there are ambiguities regarding the fixing of property tax and the period of revision, the minister added.
