KISHTWAR, Oct 29: The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), in collaboration with the District Administration Kishtwar, organised a large-scale Vigilance Week awareness programme at the College Auditorium, Kishtwar, on Wednesday. The event drew an enthusiastic participation of over 500 students, along with senior officers of the district administration, police and ACB, reflecting a strong collective resolve to build a corruption-free society.
Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, Pankaj Kumar Sharma, attended the programme as the Chief Guest. Among others present were Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kishtwar, Sunny Gupta; Additional Deputy Commissioner Kishtwar, Pawan Kotwal; and District Social Welfare Officer Kishtwar, Tariq Qazi.
Addressing the gathering, SSP ACB Doda-Kishtwar-Ramban, V.P. Chandran, underlined the pivotal role of public awareness in the fight against corruption. He said that corruption cannot be eliminated through enforcement alone; it requires active participation from citizens at the individual, social and institutional levels.
“Every citizen has a responsibility to reject corruption, demand transparency and uphold ethical values in daily life,” he said, adding that the ACB organises such awareness programmes every year to educate people about the functioning of the Bureau and the avenues available to them for reporting corrupt practices.
Highlighting a key feature of this year’s programme, the SSP ACB said that the Bureau has introduced the Youth Parliament initiative to actively engage young people in discussions on governance, accountability and democratic values.
He said the initiative is designed to help students understand their rights, authority and powers, while familiarising them with democratic processes. “It aims to equip the youth with the confidence and skills to raise their demands and concerns effectively through legitimate and constructive means,” he added.
The programme laid special emphasis on transparency, accountability, civic responsibility and meaningful youth participation as essential pillars for strengthening democratic institutions. Speakers stressed that an informed and vigilant younger generation can act as a powerful force in promoting integrity and checking corruption at the grassroots level.
The overwhelming participation of more than 500 students lent the programme a vibrant and meaningful character. The event sought to instil values of honesty, ethical conduct and responsible citizenship among the youth, encouraging them to become ambassadors of integrity in their families, educational institutions and society.
Officials expressed confidence that such initiatives would inspire young people to play a proactive role in creating a transparent, accountable and corruption-free system, in line with the broader objectives of Vigilance Awareness Week.