New Delhi: New Central Vigilance Commissioner P Shanker feels that there is a need to revamp the grievance redressal system in the government, which could be one of the tools in curbing corruption in the country.

"The kind of dak (letters) I receive shows that inspite of our efforts to check corruption, the grievances cell in government departments are either not effectively functioning or kept a closely guarded secret or people seem to have lost faith in it," Shankar, who took over from N Vittal on September 3 told reporters on September 5.

Shankar, who will have a four-year term as CVC, said the Commission would work with the Ministry of Personnel to see how this could be achieved.

Strongly advocating dispensation of discretionary system in government departments, the new CVC said that so long as the system was "imperfect" elimination of corruption would remain only a talk.

Putting off all major decisions till the other two Vigilance Commissioners, H J Dora and Janki Ballabh, assume office, Shankar said though cent per cent elimination of corruption was not possible in a country like India, "the Commission will definitely make a dent".

While Dora, at present Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) chief, is likely to take over next week, Ballabh, chairman of State Bank of India, will assume charge in the last week of this month.

Asked whether the Commission would have "teeth" after the passage of the CVC Bill in Parliament, Shanker said though Parliament would decide on the issue, he would be airing his views at appropriate levels of the government.

On his predecessor's efforts to put the names of "corrupt officials of government and public sector units on the CVC Website, which stirred a controversy in the bureaucracy, he said though he was in favour of guilty being punished, "the idea is it should be fair".

PTI