Annual Report 2003 - 2004

Vigilance Unit

The Vigilance Unit in the Department of Science & Technology is headed by an Advisor rank officer working as the Chief Vigilance Officer, supported by an Under Secretary and other secretarial staff.

The Unit had drawn Annual Action Plan of Vigilance for the year 2003-04, which was also communicated to the Central Vigilance Commission. As per the Action Plan, the vigilance inspection of the following Institutes/Offices was carried out during the year 2003-04:

1. Meteorological Centre, India Meteorological Department, Shimla
2. Northern Western Circle, Survey of India, Chandigarh
3. Bose Institute, Kolkata
4. S.N.Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata
5. Regional Meteorological Centre, India Meteorological Department, Kolkata

During the year, nine vigilance cases and twelve complaints were handled effectively. All the complaints were taken up for investigation. While two complaints were finalised, investigation is continuing in respect of remaining 10 complaints. As per instructions from Central Vigilance Commission, officials posted on sensitive posts including postings in Vigilance Units/Departments are to be rotated every two-three years to avoid developing vested interests. Accordingly, all the subordinate offices and autonomous institutes under DST were requested to comply with these instructions. In DST (proper), the exercise was conducted and resultantly, the officers/officials are to be rotated in a phased manner. Eleven officers/officials have been rotated in the first regard.

In accordance with the directions from Central Vigilance Commission, Vigilance Awareness Week was observed from 03/11/2003 to 08/11/2003. During the week, Debating Competition, Essay-Writing Competition, etc. were organized on anti-corruption topics. Awards were presented to the winners of various competitions in a function presided over by the Secretary, DST. Simultaneously, all the Aided Institutes and Subordinate Offices under DST were requested to observe the Vigilance Awareness Week from 03/11/2003 to 08/11/2003 and submit the compliance report to DST.

As per the instructions from Department of Personnel and Training, a list of Public Servants of Gazetted Status of doubtful integrity in respect of this Department was prepared and forwarded to Central Bureau of Investigation.

As per the instructions issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs, an agreed list is to be prepared in respect of Officers of Gazetted Status against whose honesty or integrity, there are complaints, doubt or suspicion. As such, Subordinate Offices and Aided Institutes located at Delhi/New Delhi were requested to furnish the relevant information to prepare consolidated Agreed List of Officers of the Department of Science & Technology and the Aided Institutes under the administrative control of the Department of Science & Technology for the year 2003. There is no Officer, as reported, whose integrity is in doubt.

It was endeavoured to have interaction on various vigilance related issues with the autonomous organizations under the Department of Science and Technology. In this direction, a meeting was organized on 30/06/2003 in Technology Bhavan by Chief Vigilance Officer, DST with the Vigilance Officers working in Subordinate Offices and Aided Institutes to impress upon the importance of vigilance and submission of periodical returns to Department of Science and Technology on related matters.

The inspection of the following Offices/Institutes has been planned to be taken-up till March 2004:

1. Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute of Medical Sciences & Technology, Thiruvananthapuram;
2. Technology Development Board, New Delhi;
3. Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi; and
4. South Eastern Circle, Survey of India, Bhubaneshwar.