Graft rife in govt offices: Report

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Corruption is widespread in government offices responsible for delivery of services in the country, the National Vigilance Centre said in its report made public on the occasion of its 10th anniversary.

The anti-graft body, which works under the Prime Minister, said that surveys conducted in 37 districts in the last three years showed that people pay extra money to government officials to receive services.

Around 70 per cent service seekers in Parsa in the fiscal year 2010/11 reported having paid extra money for services in the district public offices. Likewise, in 56 per cent of respondents said they had to bribe a district official for service in 2011/12. Likewise, 41 per cent service-seekers in Dhanusha paid the extra sum to officials in 2009/2011.

The centre, which recommends cases to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority, had dispatches survey teams to the districts every year. The team asks services-seekers to fill out forms. The findings are then shared in a mass gathering comprising civil society, political leaders and civil servants.

Syangja, Gorkha and Surkhet were the districts in which respondents said they had not bribed officials for service. However service seekers assumed the prevalence of corruption in deals involving government procurement, the report said.

NVC marks anniv

KATHMANDU: A programme was organised at the National Planning Commission on Sunday to mark the 10th anniversary of the National Vigilance Centre. The programme was attended by the Prime Minister and the Chief-secretary. Winners of the poem competition among the civil servants on corruption control were feted during the programme.