The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), through their revised national integrity and anti-corruption strategy (NIACS), will work with different agencies to reduce corruption.

Reducing corruption is the 12th of the 16 national key result areas (NKRA) to achieve the 12th Plan.

The revised NIACS is aimed at integrating anti-corruption in the development plan.

ACC officials, who do not want to be named, say that the NIACS developed in 2014 couldn’t align with the 11th Plan, as the plan was implemented in 2013. “ACC didn’t have strong monitoring and evaluation framework and we couldn’t monitor if the agencies implemented the strategy,” one of the officials said.

ACC’s press release stated that the commission is conducting a one-day consultation for the heads of 16 agencies comprising of ministries, constitutional bodies, armed forces, autonomous agencies, dzongkhags, thromdes, corporations, civil society organisations (CSO), financial institutions and media following recommendations and reviews the commission received.

The human resource officers (HRO) and procurement officers of the agencies also participated in the sessions.

The press release also stated that the ethical competence and political will of the leaders are essential in embedding ethics and integrity in the overall governance system.

ACC’s director, Karma Thinlay, said that the consultation meeting is aimed at improving the integrity measures in procurement and human resource management among others. “The meeting will also propose indicators to the agencies to achieve 12th Plan.”

On August 21, ACC pointed 19 agency indicators and five indicators relevant for all agencies to achieve the NKRA to officials from autonomous agencies. The indicators included reviewing the respective agency’s score in regard to corruption, people’s perception of the particular agency, accountability, transparency and integrity enhanced in the agency.

During the presentation, officials pointed out that the indicators will function under three dimensions of organisation integrity programme (OIP); political will and ethical competence of the leaders ensured and promoted, corruption opportunities reduced through strengthened governance systems and informed and awakened citizens on integrity and civic responsibilities.

Officials say that the proposed indicators will be reviewed by the agencies for implementation.

ACC’s policy and planning services division officials said that the accepted OIP would be included in the NIACS in achieving the 12th Plan. “This will also serve as a reference for ACC to follow up and also for the agencies to see if they have implemented the activities,” the official said. “It can also function as a reference for the agencies to prepare annual performance report.”

Officials said that the commission would monitor and implement the OIP through three agency key result areas (AKRA), credibility and effectiveness, transparency, accountability and integrity, and integrity consciousness of the agencies.

The meeting also included integrity management tools such as gift declaration, conflict of interest and asset declaration among others.

The consultation meetings will end on August 28.

Phurpa Lhamo

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