4 min readJammuMar 8, 2026 08:19 PM IST
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday said that transformative changes ushered in over the past five to six years have rendered the administrative system in Jammu and Kashmir transparent and dedicated to public service.
Arguing that J&K today “stands at a pivotal juncture”, he said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have established a faceless mechanism to eradicate corruption from government processes, eliminate delays, and deliver all services directly to ordinary citizens.”
The L-G made the remarks at the inaugural ceremony of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) headquarters building at Sidhra in Jammu, as well as the ACB APKS Branch, Awantipora.
He called upon the ACB to ensure that each decision, investigation and prosecution stands firm under scrutiny of the courts and said it must harness the authority granted by the Constitution to expose injustice, eradicate corruption entirely, and earn the trust of the people.
“Jammu and Kashmir no longer settles for mediocrity or the ordinary. It now dares to dream big. Among our people, a firm belief has taken root that a golden future lies ahead. Fulfilling this vision is also the responsibility of the officers and staff at the Anti-Corruption Bureau,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
He emphasised that the two buildings inaugurated on Sunday are not merely structures of steel, glass, and concrete — “they stand as a bold declaration of transparency in public life and a corruption-free Union Territory.”
He highlighted that the speed of the project’s execution has accelerated significantly over the past few years, adding that revolutionary progress in industry, infrastructure, agriculture, self-employment, health, power, and rural development across nearly every sector stemmed from a transparent and accountable governance model.
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The L-G also asked ACB officers to conduct a daily self-audit of their work to strengthen credibility. “Your efforts should thrive on maximum collaboration. In today’s interconnected world, corruption knows no borders, and data scatters across various networks. Information held by one agency might form the crucial final piece in another’s probe, so genuine and timely cooperation is essential wherever needed,” he said.
He referred to corruption as not merely being a loss of public money, but as an opportunity stolen from youth. “It is security snatched from a family, it is the injustice inflicted on an elderly member of society,” he said.
“We must recognise that corruption is no abstract offence committed solely against the public exchequer, but a direct assault on the lives of living human beings,” he said, adding, “The ill effects of corruption extend far beyond economic damage. It scars the lives of multiple generations. We must work together to build corruption-free J&K.”
The newly established APKS Branch at Awantipora will cater to the ACB Police Station in Anantnag, which has jurisdiction over all districts of South Kashmir. The facility is expected to enhance operational efficiency, improve accessibility, and facilitate the timely handling of complaints and investigations in the region.
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Shakti Kumar Pathak, director of ACB, spoke about the functioning of the bureau and the salient features of the newly constructed buildings. He said that the enhanced infrastructure would provide a conducive working environment and strengthen field-level vigilance operations.
