VIGILANCE – A MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE
VIGILANCE – A
MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE
Today the
Public Sector Undertakings in the country play a significant role in the
economic as well as social development of the country. Further, the spectrum of public sector ranges
from monopolistic nature like Internal air traffic, Life Insurance etc. to
highly competitive fields like Textiles, Banking. Today these undertakings are no
longer regarded as large commercial concerns judged on their commercial results
but have in varying degrees wider objectives than commercial concerns in
private sector. They deal with tax
payers’ money and are therefore accountable to Parliament. They are subject to public criticisms and
criticisms in the press. Unlike the
private commercial organization where individuals count more, in these public
undertakings, the systems have to work more than individuals. Under such circumstances, there is a need for
a strong vigilance organization in the PSUs with a set of rules to regulate the
conduct of the employees of these undertakings.
2. Vigilance has to be looked upon as one of
the essential components of
management. It is as important a segment in an
organization like Finance, Personnel, Technical and Marketing. If the vigilance set up is effective in an
organization, it will certainly ensure the functioning of the other segment
like Finance, Personnel, Technical and Marketing in an efficient way. It has therefore to be given a rightful place
in the management.
3.
Though the
work `vigilance’ is liked neither by an honest officer nor a
dishonest officer,
yet its absence will be harmful to the organization. It is like a Bitter Pill. For the health of the organization, the
Bitter Bill has to be administered. Like
a Bitter Pill, the administration of vigilance will taste sour. But in the long run, it will be in the good
health of an organization.
4.
The
objective of vigilance is to ensure that the management gets the
maximum out of its
various transactions. In the filed of
purchases, it should get the quality product at competitive rates. In the field of sales, it should get the
maximum realization for its products at the minimal selling cost. In the filed of personnel, it recruits the
best talented people and keeps the morale of the people high. Likewise, in anyone of its transactions, it
should endeavour to get the best. Unlike
in private organizations (mostly individual concerns) where individuals whose
interest are totally centered round on the profitable functioning of the
organization, in public sector organizations it is rather difficult to
inculcate that
culture without a vigilance set up. The presence of a vigilance set up will
enable the management to enable the presence of that culture.
5.
Vigilance
is not something external. It should be
accepted as an
essential part of
management. Vigilance connotes
watchfulness. It is not the purpose of
vigilance to wait for lapses to be committed and then try to conduct post
mortem. What is more important than
punitive vigilance is preventive vigilance.
In short, management should be interested in preventive vigilance
measures. If adequate attention is paid
to preventive vigilance side, many vigilance cases will not arise.
6.
Preventive vigilance calls for constant review of rules,
procedures and
practices which
afford scope for corruption. Some of the
salient features of preventive vigilance in different segments of organization
are enumerated below:
I. Purchases
i)
Should be invariably on a public tender basis.
ii)
Whenever limited tender is resorted to, enquiries should be
sent only by certificate of posting and adequate notice be given to participate
in tender.
iii)
Further, tenders should be both for technical and financial
bids.
iv)
Technical bids should be scrutinized and approval of
samples made before financial bids are opened.
v)
Once the samples are approved, then the lowest price
concept should be implemented in awarding purchase contracts.
vi)
List of suppliers should be reviewed periodically.
vii)
Adherence of purchase conditions to be monitored.
viii)
Delivery of samples should be got checked with basic
samples.
ix)
Review of settlement of bills of parties.
II. Sales
i)
Fixation of prices as well as deliveries to be monitored.
ii)
Quality assurance,
iii)
Review of dealers performance,
iv)
Review of discounts
extended,
v)
Review of sale of substandard and damaged items and
vi)
Review of presentation of bills.
III. Transport
i)
Should be done only on public tender basis.
ii)
Evaluation of the performance of transporters on a
periodical basis.
IV Civil and Electrical Works
i)
Strict adherence to the procedure aid down by the CIL, BPE,
CPWD etc. in the execution of works.
ii)
Surprise checks of measurements, quality of material etc.
V. Inventory
i)
Surprise check of stores both for quality and quantity.
ii)
Review of stores lying unused for long time.
VI Finance
i)
Settlement of payments by A/c payee cheques,
ii)
Dispatch of cheques by certificate of posting instead of
hand delivery,
iii)
Review of debtors list,
iv)
Obtaining confirmation of balances outstanding from
parties.
VII. Personnel
i)
Periodical rotation of officers/staff in sensitive posts,
ii)
Review of the immovable properties return of the
individuals.
iii)
Proper implementation of the Conduct, Discipline and Appeal
Rules like weeding out corrupt officers in pubic interest.
iv)
Dispensation of unwanted procedures and practices,
v)
Streamlining procedures for recruitment.
vi)
Institution of an
effective grievance procedure machinery.
7.
The aforesaid are some of the general aspects of preventive
vigilance
measures that could
be adopted in public sector undertakings.
But they will vary depending upon the type of activity, size of the
unit, the areas of operation etc.
However, the point to be borne in mind is that preventive vigilance
measures help the management to get optimum results from the different
activities.
8.
It is also necessary to have close liaison with CBI on a
periodical basis
so that the
organization has the advantage of having information from external front also.
9.
To conclude, it may be said that all these procedures could
work well
only if there is a
total commitment and honesty on the part of management in implementing
them. Let us therefore dedicate out
selves to be honest to implement the vigilant procedures effectively to make
these public sector undertakings function in an effective way so that they
could reach the commanding heights in the economic and social development of
the country.
***********
Post a Comment