Kerala launches 'Project Zero' to fight corruption, seeks public support
Thiruvananthapuram, May 26
State Home and Vigilance Minister Ramesh Chennithala on Tuesday announced an ambitious anti-corruption initiative, 'Project Zero', aimed at building a corruption-free Kerala.
The announcement came after a high-level meeting of top officials of the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau held in Thiruvananthapuram.
"Project Zero -- together let us build a corruption-free State. We will work closely with the people themselves," Chennithala told reporters after the meeting, underlining that public participation would be the backbone of the campaign.
Appealing to citizens to actively cooperate with vigilance authorities, the Minister said people should come forward with information regarding corrupt officials and assured that complete secrecy and protection would be maintained for informants.
"If governance has to improve, it must become corruption-free. Our ultimate aim is to ensure that no citizen should have to grease the palms of officials for getting things done," he said.
Stating that corruption had deeply eroded public confidence in the system, Chennithala said there was a growing perception among people that nothing moved without paying bribes. "That mindset has to change. If Kerala wants to become corruption-free, the people too must stand with us," he said.
The Minister described Project Zero as a revolutionary concept that would focus more on preventing corruption before it takes place rather than merely initiating action after offences are committed.
He said the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau's watchful eyes would remain on officials as well as those in public life and expressed confidence that the initiative would act as a major deterrent against corruption.
Chennithala also announced a major overhaul of the vigilance administration machinery, revealing that the decades-old 1969 Vigilance Manual was being completely rewritten.
The first draft of the revised manual, he said, was already ready for scrutiny.
At the same time, the Minister pointed to legal hurdles in corruption cases, particularly provisions in the amended Prevention of Corruption Act requiring prior sanction for prosecution against officials.
"That delay affects speedy action. I myself have approached the Supreme Court on the issue," Chennithala said, while stressing that the government was committed to strengthening the anti-corruption framework in the State.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good step by Kerala Government! But let's not forget that people also need to change their mindset. Many times we ourselves offer bribes to get things done faster. If we really want a corruption-free Kerala, we all need to cooperate. Change starts from within.
'Prevention rather than action' sounds great in theory but how will they ensure informants' safety? In India, whistleblowers often face harassment. Show me a concrete mechanism for protection and then I'll support. Till then, this is just political drama.
As someone who has lived in Kerala for a decade, I appreciate this initiative. But I wonder if the state government will actually prosecute influential politicians and bureaucrats? We've seen many anti-corruption drives fade away when powerful people are involved.
My father is a retired government employee and he says such campaigns come and go like monsoon showers. The real problem is in the mindset of our system. But I must say rewriting the 1969 Vigilance Manual is a genuine step forward. Hope they also focus on digital systems to reduce human interaction and corruption.
Let's be realistic. Without fixing the 'prior sanction' law that Minister himself mentioned, no project can succeed. How can you catch corrupt officials if you need permission to prosecute them? Supreme Court intervention needed urgently. Good luck Project Zero! 🙏
K We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.