Tamil Nadu government has ordered installation of bilingual notice boards in all government offices to crack down on corruption. Slogans against bribery and the WhatsApp number of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) for complaints will also be written on these boards.
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [भारत]July 15 (ANI): In a fresh attempt to root out institutional corruption, the Tamil Nadu government has issued strict instructions to all public offices, boards and state-run corporations to prominently put up bilingual anti-corruption notice boards. These mandatory boards will also have a clear anti-bribery slogan along with direct contact channels for the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), including a dedicated WhatsApp number.
The move came after a state audit revealed that several administrative branches had systematically ignored numerous similar anti-corruption statutory orders issued over twelve years. According to an official release, this new directive consolidates the previous regulatory monitoring guidelines to plug loopholes in compliance.
What will be written on the notice board?
The state administration has directed Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, Heads of Departments and all district collectors to ensure complete compliance in their respective jurisdictions. Bilingual notice boards with the slogan “Giving and taking bribe is a crime” and the contact details of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC), including WhatsApp number 94981 80936, are to be displayed in all state government offices to report complaints related to bribery.
“It has been decided to issue consolidated instructions,” the government statement said, adding that it highlights that despite repeated orders issued between 2006 and 2018, many offices and departments had not prominently displayed mandatory anti-bribery notice boards in public places. To ensure citizens are able to promptly report corrupt conduct, the new mandatory signage will have a clear message: “Giving and taking bribes is a crime.” The boards will have DVAC’s contact details, including the active citizen-complaint WhatsApp number: 94981 80936.
The rule will also apply to websites
The scope of this directive extends beyond just physical offices. The government has ordered all offices, local civic bodies and public sector undertakings to seamlessly integrate the anti-corruption message into their digital infrastructure. Official department websites should now also have a digital hyperlink taking users directly to the main portal of the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption along with an anti-bribery warning.
Monitoring will be done at ground level
To prevent these orders from remaining only on paper, the state has activated ground level monitoring teams. Inspection wings and special inspection cells functioning within the District Collectorates have been officially appointed to conduct surprise field audits in government establishments to verify that the directive is being actively and properly implemented. (ANI)
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