I have first-hand information8230;should not be difficult for you to get it

In his letter, a copy of which has been accessed by The Sunday Express, CVC P Shankar clearly lobbed the ball into the Prime Minister8217;s court.

8216;8216;I do not want to quote any particular instance of pressure,8217;8217; he wrote to Vajpayee September 9, No CVC/2003/69 8216;8216;but it should not be difficult for you to get this information.8217;8217;

The letter8212;which was followed up by a meeting between the PM and the CVC on November 128212;is clear. 8216;8216;I have got first hand information from quite a few top and senior executives in the public sector that there has been a growing tendency on part of the Ministries 8216;to bring the executives on line8217; through covert and overt threat of vigilance action,8217;8217; Shankar wrote.

Noting how 8216;8216;you the Prime Minister yourself have been voicing concerns over this,8217;8217; Shankar went on to add: 8216;8216;The Commission has also addressed itself to the rather serious problem of fear and apprehension in the minds of senior executives leading to delay in decison making and even inaction and procrastination8230;8217;8217;

Again, the CVC reminded the PM how, 8216;8216;in our experience over the last one year, the fear of vigilance in the public sector and among the public sector executives themselves, is not just a matter of what the Commission does. A more serious role is that of the Government department or Ministry under whose administrative control the public sector organisation functions.8217;8217;

Not only this, the CVC called for reforms in the culture of PSUs if they have to be made more efficient. 8216;8216;Formal and informal lines of control which the Government departments or Ministries exercise over public sector organisations should also undergo a radical change,8217;8217; he wrote.

On Sept 24, the CVC sent a copy of his letter to the Prime Minister to Cabinet Secretary Kamal Pande. In the covering letter to Pande, the CVC again noted how, 8216;8216;instances of pressure on executives, abusing, unfortunately, the instrument of vigilance, are on the increase and this would need to be curbed8230;this is a disturbing trend8230;I have conveyed to the PM the need for action.8217;8217;