Balasore: A young Indian Administrative Service (IAS) cadre officer has taken up the cudgels to curb corruption at the grassroots level by attempting to make the monitoring mechanism more effective.
Titled Rapid Monitoring System (RMS), the initiative, taken up by Nilagiri sub-collector Aboli S Naravane, is being implemented in the tribal-dominated block to ensure transparency in different government schemes like Indira Awas Yojana, public distribution system and Mo Kudia.
Naravane has formed two teams of officers, perceived to be honest, from the local Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA), tahasil and block offices. A senior officer has been made leader of each team.
“When I receive any complaint, I ask one of the teams to immediately visit the spot. Before the team members reaches the spot, I tell them regarding the irregularities and ask them to forthwith report regarding the alleged corruption,”said Naravane.
“I learnt about this sort of system during my probation in Mayurbhanj. Every week, two teams make random visits to different areas without any prior notice,” she informed, adding,” I am sure RMS will get us better results in checking corruption,bringing in transparency in government schemes and in the process benefiting the beneficiaries.”
The new monitoring system was set in Nilagiri this month. On the first day, a team visited an anganwadi centre at Garadhi panchayat following a complaint that the attendance recorded on paper was more than the physical presence of children. “I will take action against the concerned employee. I have served a showcause notice to the angwanwadi in-charge,” she said.
“We hope this system helps the beneficiaries. It will discourage dishonest officers, middlemen and politicians from engaging in corruption,” said an officer.
Former MLA and senior lawyer Chitta Ranjan Sarangi said, “We welcome and admire the sub-collector’s effort. We see poor beneficiaries at tahasil and block offices struggling to get their rights. We hope this initiative will help the beneficiaries.”
