Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], October 20 (ANI): The Himachal Pradesh State Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (SV&ACB) will observe Vigilance Awareness Week from October 26 to November 1 under the theme "Probity for Prosperity", with a statewide campaign to encourage public participation in the fight against corruption.
Being organised in accordance with the guidelines of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC), the campaign will focus on preventive vigilance, transparent governance, accountability and citizen participation.
The Bureau will carry the message, "Corruption costs you. Report it. You are protected", highlighting the impact of corruption on public resources, infrastructure, services and welfare programmes.
Vigilance Police Stations across the state, under the supervision of Vigilance Range Superintendents of Police, will organise Integrity Walks, Gram Sabha awareness programmes, complaint-registration camps, school and college activities, debates, quizzes, poster and essay competitions, and interactions with government departments and public representatives.
The campaign will also reach Panchayati Raj institutions, students, farmers, workers, traders, contractors, transporters, self-help groups, banks, NGOs and civil society organisations.
To make the campaign accessible to local communities, the Bureau will promote nukkad nataks, folk songs, Kariyala and other traditional Himachali cultural forms to communicate the anti-corruption message.
The Bureau will also educate citizens on how and where to report corruption and what information to provide. QR code standees linking to the CVC e-Pledge and SV&ACB complaint channels will be placed at public locations and programme venues. A bilingual citizen guide titled "How to Report Corruption" will also be circulated.
As part of preventive measures, the Bureau will identify corruption-prone processes and vulnerable points in public-facing departments and recommend measures in coordination with departmental vigilance officers.
A Vigilance Officers' Conference scheduled for October 28 will focus on preventive vigilance, best practices and strengthening departmental vigilance mechanisms.
Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police Ashok Tewari said the fight against corruption required the active participation of citizens and government employees and could not be left to enforcement agencies alone.
He said the objective was not only to detect corruption after it occurred but also to prevent corrupt practices, improve systems and empower citizens to speak up.
"Integrity is the foundation of public trust," he said.
Narvir Singh Rathour, Additional SP of the Special Investigation Unit (SIU) of the SV&ACB and nodal officer for Vigilance Awareness Week 2026, said the campaign aimed to make vigilance a people's movement rather than a one-week formal exercise.
"The real success of Vigilance Awareness Week will be measured not by the number of programmes conducted, but by the number of citizens who understand their rights, know how to report corruption and become partners in promoting integrity," he said.
The week will begin with the Integrity Pledge at 11 am on October 26 across Vigilance Headquarters, ranges and police stations.
On October 31, Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, SV&ACB units will participate in Run for Unity and Run for Integrity activities.
The Bureau has appealed to citizens and stakeholders to participate in the campaign and promote integrity and corruption-free governance. (ANI)
“Corruption costs you; integrity builds prosperity”: Himachal Vigilance takes anti-corruption campaign to people
