Massive drive must to weed out corruption, says Revenue Minister Brahm Shankar Jimpa

Ruchika M Khanna
Chandigarh, March 24

New Revenue and Water Resources Minister Brahm Shankar Jimpa says the Aam Aadmi Party government will weed out the “cancerous spread of corruption” in the Revenue Department.

Talking to The Tribune here today, the minister, who assumed charge after a “purification ritual by his spiritual guru” at the Punjab Civil Secretariat, said a massive operation was needed to weed out corruption in the department. “If this is done, it will be our biggest achievement,” he said.

“The Revenue Department deals with public and officials will have to stop their ‘old ways of working’. Our government’s top priority is to provide honest administration, and bring transparency in working,” he said.

Transparency a priority

Revenue Dept deals with public. Officials will have to stop their ‘old ways of working’. Our priority is to bring transparency in working. — Brahm Shankar Jimpa, Revenue Minister

While hailing the move to livestream the working of revenue staff in Gurdasapur yesterday, he termed the protest by Punjab Revenue Officers Union as “unjustified and unfair”. “If they are honest and have nothing to hide, why should they protest a move to bring transparency in a department that has such massive public dealing?” he told The Tribune after assuming charge as the minister today.

An order was passed in Gurdaspur yesterday to livestream the work done by revenue officials, including tehsildars and naib-tehsildars.

The orders also said they would have to submit a day-to-day report of their working to the District Revenue Officer. He, in turn, was supposed to give a copy of the report to a clerk who was asked to call up people and to enquire if any bribe was being taken by revenue officials. However, following objections and threat of protest by the revenue officers, the orders were later withdrawn.

“Livestreaming the working of tehsil offices was a good move. If the revenue officers have a problem, we can always talk to them. We want to make them partners in our attempt to “clean up the mess” that has been there for years,” he said, reiterating using technology to keep an eye on officials for public welfare would be examined for implementation.

Falling watertable worrying

Brahm Shankar Jimpa, who also holds the charge of Water Resources Department, said he was concerned at the fall in watertable. “A ‘jan andolan’ on water conservation in agriculture, domestic and commercial will be launched soon.

We will look into promoting rainwater harvesting,” the minister said.