File photo of Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Assam government today proposed to reward Rs 25,000 to any whistleblower who helps in detecting, stopping and nabbing a corrupt government official.
Presenting the Budget for 2016-17, Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma today announced this proposal to introduce fear in corrupt government employees' mind.
"A cash award of Rs 25,000 will be provided to anyone whose information, evidence, mobile or video record which leads to successful apprehension of the bribe-seeker or bribe-giver in the government," he added.
He proposed to allocate Rs 1 crore as award money in the budget for this with the Home and Political Department.
"In order to achieve 'Personal Integrity' in public life, we need to facilitate people's participation also. As I reminded earlier, in the words of our Hon'ble Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal, 'Bhakti' (reverence) comes from 'Bhoy' (fear)," Mr Sarma said.
He said this initiative has been taken to put in place a system which will reduce and eventually eliminate corruption from the society.
In order to bring transparency in various activities of departments, the government has taken steps to work mostly through online system, he added.
"The Prime Minister openly declared a war on corruption by giving a clarion call that 'Neither will we eat nor will we allow others to eat'. This oft-repeated statement will find true reflection in our governance too," Mr Sarma said.
During the two months of the BJP-led government in Assam, some action were already taken in this regard, he said.
A new model of governance will be in place which is the art and practice of Pure Politics and Clean Public Service and not Impure Politics and Corrupt Public Service, he said.
"The architecture of 'New Model of Governance' will be erected on four pillars: personal integrity, political inclusivity, governance legitimacy and people participation," he added.