Home ministry officials most corrupt, followed by railways, banks: CVC

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) last year recorded the highest number of corruption complaints against employees of the Union ministry of home affairs, followed by those working for the railways and banks.

According to the latest annual report of the CVC, which was made public recently, 1,15,203 such complaints were received for all categories of officers and employees across central government departments and organisations in 2022. Of these, 85,437 were disposed of and 29,766 were pending – 22,034 for more than three months.

The CVC has prescribed a time-limit of three months for chief vigilance officers, who act as a distant arm of the probity watchdog, to examine complaints, an official said.

Home ministry received maximum number of complaints

While the home ministry received 46,643 complaints against its employees last year, 10,580 were received by the Indian Railways and 8,129 by banks, according to the report. Out of the total complaints against home ministry employees, 23,919 were disposed of and 22,724 were pending disposal – 19,198 pending for more than three months, the report said.

The railways had disposed of 9,663 complaints, while 917 were pending disposal – nine for more than three months, the report stated. While banks had disposed 7,762 corruption complaints and 367 were pending – 78 for more three months.

Complaints against Delhi government employees

There were 7,370 complaints against employees of the government of National Capital Territory Delhi, the report stated. Of these, 6,804 were disposed of and 566 were pending – 18 for more than three months. The report further stated that 4,710 complaints were against employees of the housing and urban affairs ministry, including the Central Public Works Department, the Delhi Development Authority, the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, the Delhi Urban Art Commission, the Hindustan Prefab Ltd, the Housing and Urban Development Corporation Limited, the NBCC and the NCR Planning Board.

Of these, 3,889 were disposed of and 821 were pending – 577 for more than three months, it stated.

The CVC annual report stated that 4,304 complaints were against those in the coal ministry (4,050 disposed of), 4,236 were against those in the labour ministry (4,016 disposed of) and 2,617 against petroleum ministry employees (2,409 disposed of).

There were 2,150 complaints against employees of the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT), 1,619 against defence ministry employees, 1,308 against department of telecommunications employees, 1,202 against finance ministry employees and 1,101 against those in the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC), the report stated.

The CVC report stated that 987 complaints were against those working in insurance companies, 970 against employees of the personnel, public grievances and pensions ministry and 923 against steel ministry employees, among others.

(With agency inputs)