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M.B. SAGAR - CVO, CCI (Shipping Corporation of India) |
| By Ms Vandana Vasudevan |
The shipping industry is under the grip of a new crisis as the industry sources confirm that the average freight rates in both the tanker and dry bulk segment in the March 2009 quarter have declined considerably. This is definitely troubling the shipping giant, Shipping Corporation of India, but it's not at low ebb altogether as its vigilance department was recently in news for signing the Integrity Pact through a Memorandum of Understanding with Transparency International. M.B. Sagar, CVO Shipping Corporation of India, took an initiative to introduce this concept in the Corporation.
M.B. Sagar, a MP Cadre IPS of 1985 batch, has worked as vigilance officer in various capacities. Before being appointed as Chief Vigilance Officer of the Shipping Corporation of India Ltd. in January 2008, he was posted as IG CID Vigilance Police Head Quarters in Bhopal.
Sagar accepts, "Discharging the functions of vigilance division in a commercial organization is a challenging task as it has to achieve a proper balance between preventive and punitive vigilance." And how does he manage to achieve that!
He elaborates, "The SET IT project of the SCI has given an added impetus to our ambition and we in the Vigilance Division intend to utilize SET IT project to the maximum in achieving our goal of 100% application of IT in terms of e-procurement, e-tendering, reverse auctions; and also have COTS packages for B&T, L&PS through ERP solutions provided by SAP for an end-¬to-end integration of the IT system. This project is expected to be completed by January 2010."
Sagar opines that the misconception and phobia regarding Vigilance Division Shipping Corporation of India is unfortunate. "It is primarily due to this that I make a point to meet the service providers and employees regarding their complaints on vigilance matters and take up the same for examination in consultation with the concerned divisional head," he adds.
Sagar has developed a three-tier action plan for his tenure, which includes short-term, mid-term and perspective plans foreseeing the future.
"According to this plan, I have set targets for the vigilance system renewal. We have a weekly round of meetings with the CMD that were unstructured. Now structured meetings are held wherein the decisions/discussions are communicated in writing for execution and follow-up. We have designed a structured investigation and reporting methodology for the vigilance officers. All officers have been assigned the responsibility of conducting CTE-type inspections and a target of three such inspections per quarter has been fixed.
The vigilance has also developed a 'Reward Scheme for Informers' by creating a 'Secret Services Fund.' It is a fund in which suitable rewards will be given to informants who give reliable and verifiable source information."
Sagar in his year long tenure has disposed off 49 cases and credits this to the weekly meetings with the management as he says, "The ideas churned out during the meets have been found worth implementing and at the same time, some lacunae have come to light which we have either promptly rectified or are in the process of rectifying through vigilance recommendations."
The vigilance at SCI has been able to obtain duty credit in record time from Director General of Foreign Trade. SCI in June 2008 had applied with Rs. 29,33,00,000/- of foreign exchange earnings out of which Rs. 22,45,62,500/- was brought to India.
The amount that was earned in foreign exchange and brought to India was approved by (DGFT) for allowing a grant of 10% custom duty credit under SFIS. However, 5% late cut was deducted due to late filing of application. Rs. 1,80,00,000/- received as custom duty credit is to be utilized at Sahar Airport and Rs. 42, 31,687/- to be utilized at JNPT sea port. Total duty credit received is of Rs. 2,22,31,687/- and it can be used within 24 months from the date of issue, i.e., from November 2008.
SCI saw some profits flowing in its quarters for the financial year 2008-2009 and is definitely looking forward to overcome the hurdles. For the quarter ending December 2008, SCI's net profit rose by 4.89% amounting to Rs. 185.43 crore for the financial year 2008-2009 compared to Rs. 176.78 crore in the quarter ending December 2007 and M.B. Sagar has to definitely steer the ship carefully with more developments and evolution to be made in the vigilance system at SCI.
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