Massive shortage of officers at the CBI may hamper quality of investigations and increase pendency, a Parliamentary panel said on Friday, asking the government to initiate necessary action to fill the posts.
Asserting that fraudsters are using increasingly innovativemethods to bypass vigilance, it also asked probity watchdog Central VigilanceCommission (CVC) to improve vigilance administration by leveraging latesttechnologies.
On the infrastructure deficit being grappled by the CBI, thepanel said shortfall in allocation of Rs 802 crore against the projection ofover Rs 1,300 crore will “adversely affect” the agency’s ability toinvest in training, research, equipment and other support structures.
In a report tabled in the RajyaSabha, the panel headed byBJP MP BhupenderYadav observed that 789 posts in executive ranks, 77 posts oflaw officers and 415 posts of technical officers and staff were lyingvacant.
The report said “this leads to an inevitable conclusionthat the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is facing a massive shortage ofpersonnel”.
“The Committee thinks that it may increase pendency,hamper the quality of investigations and ultimately reduce the effectivenessand efficiency of the agency. The Committee therefore recommends that necessaryaction may be initiated to fulfil the large number of vacant posts in CBI onurgent basis,” it said.
The Department-Related Parliamentary Standing Committee onPersonnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice said the CBI has received anallocation of just Rs 802 crore against the projection of 1,386 crore made tothe Ministry of Finance. “This shortfall in allocation willadversely affect CBI’s ability to invest in training, research, equipment andother support structures. The Committee is of the view that funds constraintshould not impede CBI from discharging its mandate effectively and accordinglyrecommends the government to provide adequate funds for meeting the growingneeds of the country’s premier investigating agency,” it said.