Vigilance reports against 78 officers in Bengal

Kolkata, July 20 (UNI) West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattcharjee today informed the assembly that necessary action had been taken against 171 government officers in the wake of vigilance commission's reports against them in the last three years.

Replying to a query of Congress chief whip Manas Bhuiyan, Mr Bhattcharjee said during March 2004 and March 2006 the commission had recommended action against 967 officers under various charges.

Elaborating a year-wise break up, the chief minister said during 2004-2005, as per the vigilance committee's recommendation against 188 goverment employees, departmental inquiries had been taken against 58 cases while action had been initiated against 56 guilty officials.

Similarly, during the last fiscal, the CM said, action had been taken against 78 officials while departmental inquiry had been initiated against 50 others. Of the total 490 recommendations, during the first three months of the current year, action had been taken against 39 officials while departmental inquiry had been issued against 20 others.

Replying to a supplementary query of Congress member Sudip Bandopadhyay the Chief Minister informed the house that during the period no IAS or IPS officers were suspended. However, departmental inquiry had been initiated against four IAS and five IPS officers.

To another query he said the action in the wake of vigilance commission's recommendation varied betweem summary dismissal from the service if found guilty to suspension of the increments and reduction in the pension amounts.

UNI ABA PP PL MSJ VA RN1408