NEW DELHI: Union Minister for Ports, Shipping & Waterways, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, along with Minister of State Shri Shantanu Thakur, held an interaction with the Chief Vigilance Officers (CVOs) of ports, public sector undertakings and maritime organisations in New Delhi, emphasising the need to strengthen preventive vigilance and build greater transparency across the maritime sector.
Highlighting the importance of a constructive vigilance framework, Shri Sonowal said that true vigilance should not merely focus on finding faults, but should empower honest officers, prevent irregularities and safeguard public resources.
The Minister stressed that preventive vigilance must become an integral part of institutional functioning, enabling organisations to identify potential risks at an early stage and strengthen systems before irregularities occur. The approach seeks to promote a culture of integrity, accountability and responsible decision-making across ports and maritime institutions.
The interaction also focused on leveraging technology and digital systems to improve transparency, strengthen monitoring mechanisms and reduce the scope for procedural lapses. Technology-driven governance can facilitate better tracking of processes, enhance accountability and support timely decision-making across the maritime ecosystem.
Under the broader vision of modernising maritime governance, the Ministry is placing increasing emphasis on transparent processes, digital transformation, efficient service delivery and stronger institutional accountability. Recent digital initiatives in the maritime sector, including the E-Samudra platform, reflect the Ministry’s focus on using technology to make maritime administration more transparent, integrated and stakeholder-centric.
The meeting with the CVOs provided an opportunity to review vigilance practices and underline the importance of proactive measures, effective internal controls and greater awareness among officials. Strong coordination between vigilance units, administrative authorities and operating organisations can further strengthen the mechanisms for protecting public assets and ensuring compliance.
The Ministry also continues to pursue reforms aimed at improving the efficiency and resilience of India’s maritime institutions while maintaining high standards of governance. Preventive vigilance is expected to complement these efforts by promoting ethical conduct, transparency and responsible utilisation of public resources.
The interaction reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to developing a maritime sector where integrity, transparency, technology and accountability work together to support efficient governance and sustainable growth.
The emphasis on preventive vigilance marks a shift from a purely reactive approach towards a more proactive institutional culture—one that seeks to prevent irregularities, encourage honest decision-making and strengthen public confidence in India’s maritime institutions.
