Press Releases Archive

Letter to CM on Ombudsmen

01st May 2010

Sri K. Rosaiah
The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh
Secretariat
Hyderabad.

Dear Sri Rosaiah garu,

This communication is regarding the recent decision of the AP Government to appoint ombudsmen to go into irregularities in the implementation of NREGS (AP GO Ms No. 142, dated 21-4-2010 and the Government of India (Ministry of Rural Development)’s Order dated 7-9-2009).

Lok Satta Party has always been a strong advocate for establishing independent, fully empowered and statutorily-constituted ombudsmen at the district-level as effective instruments of transparency and accountability in public service delivery and the implementation of various government schemes. While we welcome your government’s recent step towards constituting the body of ombudsmen under NREG Act at the district level, the present scheme of their powers and functions would not serve the required purpose. It is evident that there is an urgent need to duly reconstitute this ombudsmen mechanism.

We therefore request you to examine and act upon the following critical issues:

  • At present, around Rs.2000 crore a year is being spent directly at the district-level, under various schemes. Therefore, the powers of the ombudsmen must not be limited only to the implementation of the NREGS, but should be enlarged to cover any instances of corruption and irregularities in all schemes at the local government-level.

  • At present, the NREGS ombudsmen’s powers are limited only to inquiry into irregularities thrown up by NREGS social audit. The scope of their powers must be expanded to enable them to take up and act upon complaints of corruption and mal-administration against both elected members and officials at the local government-level. This would enable them to:

    • lodge or take up complaints (suo motu) against erring parties
    • conduct investigations
    • initiate proceedings on any related grievance, and
    • award and implement redressal, disciplinary and punitive actions against erring parties.

    Ombudsmen must be made autonomous and powerful – under the existing provisions of law, to ensure that guilty elected public representatives and local government officials are removed from service and duly punished.

  • The AP Government has prescribed that retired judicial personnel who have served not below the rank of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) be appointed as district ombudsmen for the NREGS. Instead, persons of the rank of District Judge should be selected as district level ombudsmen to ensure that the expanded powers and functions over various aspects of district-level governance are exercised, as recommended above.

  • The remuneration awarded to the ombudsmen too should be enhanced to accordingly. In any case, the present notified sitting fee of Rs.500 a day allowed for an ombudsman is too low and impractical an amount, and therefore would not attract talent. Instead, a permanent Ombudsman monitoring and investigating complaints relating to all government schemes at district and sub-district levels or for metropolitan cities should enjoy the status, rank, salary, allowances and privileges of the sitting judge of the same rank. Since there will be one Ombudsman for all programmes including NREG Act, it will be cost-effective."

  • Finally, multiplicity of agencies dealing with wrongdoings of public servants should be eliminated by integrating the functional jurisdiction of various such agencies. To this extent, the district-level ombudsmen mechanism should be integrated at the State level, under an appropriate, independent framework.

The Sixth Report of the 2nd Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) of India also emphasized upon these issues (subsequently echoed by the 13th Finance Commission, 2010 - 2015), which are integral towards establishing an independent and fully empowered Ombudsman mechanism at the district level to ensure due accountability and transparency in governance at the third tier of the government.

I therefore urge you to act immediately to create a body of effective, independent, empowered Ombudsmen – one per district on the lines suggested above.

With warm personal regards,

Sincerely,

Jayaprakash Narayan

Saturday, May 1, 2010 - 16:17

Let Ombudsmen deal with corruption In all Govt. schemes: Dr. JP

Lok Satta Party President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan has urged Chief Minister K. Rosaiah to widen and deepen the ombudsmen mechanism to cover any instances of corruption and irregularities in all schemes at the local government level.

It may be recalled that the State Government in its order dated April 21 proposed appointment of ombudsmen at the district level to go into NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) irregularities.

In a letter to the Chief Minister, Dr. JP pointed out that since around Rs.2000 crore a year is being spent directly at the district level under various Government schemes, ombudsmen powers must not be limited only to NREGS implementation but enlarged to cover any instances of corruption and irregularities in all schemes at the local government level.

Lok Satta Party spokespersons Mr. Katari Srinivasa Rao, Mr. V. Laxman Balaji, Mr. Eeda Chennaiah released Dr. JP’s letter at a media conference here today.

Dr. JP pointed out in his letter that the State Government order limits ombudsmen’s powers to inquire only into irregularities thrown up by NREGS social audit. “The scope of their powers must be expanded to enable them to take up and act upon complaints of corruption and maladministration against both elected members and officials at the local government level. This would enable them to lodge or take up complaints (suo motu) against erring parties, conduct investigations, initiate proceedings on any related grievance, and award and implement redressal, disciplinary and punitive actions against erring parties. Ombudsmen must be made autonomous and powerful to ensure that guilty elected public representatives and local government officials are removed from service and duly punished. “

Dr. JP suggested that persons of the rank of district judge and not first class judicial magistrate should be selected as district-level ombudsmen. Since the proposed sitting fee of Rs.500 a day for an ombudsman is too low, it would not attract talent. Since the ombudsmen will be monitoring and investigating complaints relating to all government schemes at district and sub-district levels, they should enjoy the status, rank, salary, allowances and privileges of a sitting judge.

Dr. JP called for eliminating the multiplicity of agencies dealing with wrongdoings of public servants and integrating the functional jurisdiction of various such agencies. To this extent, the district-level ombudsmen mechanism should be integrated at the State level, under an appropriate, independent framework.

Saturday, May 1, 2010 - 16:14

Lok Satta welcomes road map for Empowering local governments

The Lok Satta Party today welcomed the Union Government’s road map for empowering local governments through formation of district councils, reorganization of Legislative Councils with two-thirds representation to local governments and 50 percent reservations for women and rotation of their constituencies once in 10 years.

Talking to the media, party leaders Katari Srinivasa Rao, P. Bhaskara Rao, and Karthik Chandra wanted the Union Government to amend the Constitution providing for mandatory devolution of powers and resources on local governments by State Governments.

The Lok Satta Party suggested that the proposed district councils be empowered to work as district governments with jurisdiction over both rural and urban areas. The district collector should be re-designated as district council secretary.

The Lok Satta would like the Legislative Council to comprise only members elected by local governments. It was strange that the council provides representation to teachers and graduates even to this day.

The party reiterated its long-standing demand that a per capita grant of Rs.1000 should be made to every village, town, and city so that people-elected ward committees could utilize the funds for addressing people’s needs effectively.

The party also demanded creation of 1000 new towns in the State as a means to promote economic development and prevent migration of people from rural areas to far off urban centers in search of work and livelihood.

Friday, April 30, 2010 - 16:31

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