Srinagar, August 5: The National Institute of Fashion and Technology (NIFT) Srinagar on Saturday organised a day-long event to observe the Vigilance Awareness Day at Ompora campus.
The event was organised in collaboration with Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) Srinagar with a theme to make Jammu and Kashmir corruption free.
Director ACB J&K, Anand Jain was the Chief Guest at the occasion. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) ACB Central Kashmir Zahoor Ahmad Wani, Regional Director Srinagar MANUU Dr. Aijaz Ahmad, Chief Prosecuting Officer (CPO) Riyaz Ahmad, and DSP ACB Khursheed Ahmad were present at the occasion.
In his address to the students, Director ACB said awareness was one of the elements of corruption and these days every citizen is aware of it because of the different platforms available to them.
“No doubt awareness is already there but the rate of corruption will dwindle only after citizens like you remain vigilant about it and register your complaint if you find anything wrong happening in your vicinity,” Anand Jain asked the students.
“You can become good citizens if you act against corruption and for that registration of complaints is the basic aspect to control it,” he said.
Anand Jain also spoke about various e-initiatives like Aadhar taken by the government which helped to bring transparency in the system’s working.
“The decision taken by the government to do away with interviews in any recruitment process brought transparency in the recruitment process at different levels,” Director ACB said.
He spoke about various laws and the rights available to the citizens and urged the students to use these laws and rights to stand against corruption.
“First element is that you have to be aware and positively intervene in identifying the problems. Investigations can start only after you register your complaints,” he said.
Earlier in his welcome address, Director NIFT Srinagar Dr Javid Ahmad Wani spoke at length about various initiatives taken by the J&K government & Govt of India to ensure transparency in the public governance.
“Ensuring transparency in the system is a viral tool to curb corruption. Government has taken many positive steps due to which stakeholders have become aware of this practice and they have started acting against corruption,” he said.
Dr Javid said that earlier people were not aware of their rights as things were kept in a closed circuit. RTI Act has provided access to ordinary citizens for scrutinising decision making happening in Govt departments.
“GoI has given a decisive direction about how to bring transparency in the system, be it recruitment or procurement or any public spending activity ,” he said. Dr Javid spoke about the important initiaves of Govt like Adhar, DBT, GeM, e-Services etc.
In his address, SSP ACB Central Kashmir Zahoor Ahmad Wani spoke in detail about the laws and stressed that the fight against corruption starts within an individual.
SSP ACB sensitised the students about the ways and means of how to prevent corruption and said the society should come forward and report the corruption.
“The vigilance awareness programme is observed every year to encourage all stakeholders to collectively participate in the public awareness for prospective prevention and the fight against corruption,” he said.
Regional Director Srinagar MANUU, Dr Aijaz also spoke at the occasion. He appreciated the initiatives of ACB, JK in past 5 years aimed at prevention of corruption.
The session was conducted by Asst Professor NIFT Shashi Ranjan.
