A decision to this effect was taken by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in a meeting with senior officers of the vigilance department here late last evening, the spokesman said.
In the meeting, Badal asked the vigilance units within each state department to coordinate anti-corruption measures in tandem with the Vigilance Bureau to ensure transparent, responsive, accountable and good governance.
He was told in the meeting that the vigilance department had mooted a proposal to establish a special internal vigilance unit in the Bureau to monitor the activities of their officials.
To ensure timely investigation and conviction of corrupt officials, it was suggested in the meeting that the competent authority in each department would decide refusal or sanction of granting permission for prosecution as the case may be by passing a speaking order with a maximum period of three months.
In case of non-compliance, Secretary Vigilance would convey displeasure on the recommendation of Chief Director Vigilance Bureau, the spokesman said.
The vigilance department had been asked to initiate the necessary amendments in the law to empower the Punjab Vigilance Bureau to cover the state government employees posted in Chandigarh Union Territory also on the same pattern as has been done in case of CBI.
Presently state employees posted in Chandigarh cannot be booked by the Punjab Vigilance Bureau. PTI AKA mns SPC
