MADURAI: The highest number of officials booked by the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-corruption (DVAC) over the last five years is from the rural development department, according to data available on the agency’s website.
In 2023-24, 139 cases were booked for preliminary enquiry and detailed enquiry, and a minimum of 100 officials are booked each year under corruption charges by the DVAC.
Speaking to TNIE, RTI activist R Ramakrishnan said that central government schemes, including the Jal Jeevan Mission, are implemented through the rural development department.
“Corrupt officials easily influence the people from rural areas and get money to implement the schemes. The state government should come forward to popularise these schemes in regional languages to reduce instances of corruption," he said.
He further stated that the conviction rate is minimal allegedly because of corrupt officials in the DVAC. The government should appoint honest officials and the DVAC must come forward to accept public complaints if they are submitted with evidence, instead of only setting traps.
N Senthilkumar, a social worker, said it is essential to speed up the legal process because the trials take place over a long period, during which the accused officials get nearly 50-75% of their salaries without working.
Once the trial is complete, they claim the remaining salaries as arrears, which is a waste of public funds. "Although it is well known that the public works department is an alleged corruption-prone department, it is not often under the DVAC scanner. The revenue department is also one such department. Apart from departmental action, speeding up the legal procedures is also essential," he said.