27/10/2025
In Kashmir, a Anti-Corruption Drive Aims to Rebuild Trust and Pave Way for Investment
Aman Malik
ANANTNAG, October 27 ( VOI ) :- —In a Conference hall at the Dak Bungalow in this restive South Kashmir town, senior officials gathered this week to inaugurate a ritual of Indian governance- Vigilance Awareness Week. The theme, “Vigilance: Our Shared Responsibility,” was standard fare. But the subtext, in a region long defined by geopolitical conflict and economic stagnation, was anything but.
The event, orchestrated by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB), was not merely a bureaucratic formality. It represented a deliberate, public-facing campaign by authorities to signal that the administration of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is serious about a foundational challenge: curbing the systemic corruption that has long stifled development and eroded public trust in India’s most strategically sensitive territory.
The presence of a full spectrum of power—from Deputy Inspector General of Police Javed Iqbal Matoo, the chief guest, to Deputy Commissioner Dr. Syed Fakhruddin Hamid and senior police and prosecution officials—was a carefully choreographed display of institutional unity. For investors and policymakers in New Delhi, the message was clear: ensuring the integrity of public institutions is a prerequisite for the ambitious economic plans the government has for the region.
“You cannot have security without development, and you cannot have development without accountability,” said a senior official who attended the event, speaking on condition of anonymity. “This is about creating an environment where a business proposal is judged on its merits, not on the size of a bribe.”
A Legacy of Graft in a Fractured Region
The stakes are exceptionally high. Since the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special constitutional status in 2019, which brought it under the direct control of the central government, New Delhi has prioritized attracting outside capital to spur growth and integrate the region with the national economy. Billions of dollars in potential investment have been promised in sectors like tourism, infrastructure, and hydropower.
Yet, these ambitions have consistently bumped against a stubborn reality: a reputation for corruption. For decades, businesses and residents have navigated a labyrinth of kickbacks, bureaucratic delays, and nepotism in everything from securing contracts to obtaining basic permits. A 2023 study by the Centre for Media Studies, a New Delhi-based think tank, found Jammu and Kashmir had one of the highest perceived rates of bribery among Indian states for public services.
“The ‘cost of doing business’ here has historically included a significant, unofficial component,” explained Gohar Ahmad Mir, a former Director of Prosecution who attended the ACB event. “This deters serious industrialists and handicaps local entrepreneurs. The ACB’s public outreach is a necessary part of changing that culture.”
The ACB’s Tightrope Walk
The ACB itself has been at the forefront of this push, making a series of high-profile arrests in recent months, including mid-level bureaucrats and police officers accused of bribery. Under the leadership of officials like SSP South Range ACB Manzoor Ahmad Mir, the bureau is attempting to walk a fine line: demonstrating its efficacy without appearing to be on a politically motivated witch hunt.
The Vigilance Awareness Week, with its workshops and pledges for integrity, is the soft-power complement to these hard-edged investigations. The presence of the Deputy Commissioner, the top civilian administrator in the district, is particularly significant, signaling that the anti-graft drive has buy-in from the civil service—the very apparatus often accused of corruption.
“When the DC and the SSP share a stage with the ACB, it institutionalizes the fight,” said Khurshid Ahmad Seytari, a Chief Prosecuting Officer for the ACB. “It moves it from being just a police action to a shared administrative goal.”
Skepticism and the Road Ahead
Despite the official optimism, deep-seated skepticism remains among the local populace. Many residents view such events as political theater, pointing to a lack of prosecutions against the most powerful and well-connected figures. The region’s primary political parties, largely sidelined since 2019, have accused the ACB of being used as a tool to target dissenters while leaving entrenched networks untouched.
“These ceremonies are for the newspapers,” said a local businessman, who declined to be named for fear of reprisal. “The real test is whether a major industrial project can get all its clearances without under-the-table payments. We haven’t seen that happen yet.”
The challenge for the ACB and the Union Territory administration is to convert the rhetoric of shared responsibility into tangible results that alter both perception and reality. For New Delhi, the success or failure of this anti-corruption drive has implications that go far beyond good governance. It is inextricably linked to its broader project of stabilizing Jammu and Kashmir, where winning the confidence of the people is seen as critical to countering militancy and securing India’s frontiers.
As the officials in Anantnag dispersed from the Dak Bungalow, the real work remained. The speeches were over, but the vigil—and the scrutiny—had just begun. The economic future of Kashmir may well depend on which one proves more powerful.
