Cuttack, Aug. 6: After Facebook, the state vigilance department has decided to launch a new anti-corruption helpline on the popular chat messenger WhatsApp.

A senior official at the vigilance directorate in Cuttack said the process of introducing a dedicated helpline number for smartphone users had already started.

People can use WhatsApp to register their complaints. They can also send relevant recorded audio or video clips.

"People can henceforth lodge complaints directly to the vigilance department using WhatsApp and the new helpline service will be introduced within a week," said vigilance director K.B. Singh.

A special team will monitor all the complaints, audio and visuals sent to the vigilance's WhatsApp number. Action will be taken after preliminary inquiry.

The state vigilance department's Facebook page - Odisha Vigilance - that was launched in May, has also been successful and popular with more than 5,500 people having liked the initiative.

Sources said complaints regarding harassment faced by people in getting birth and death certificates and corrupt government officials were being received through the Facebook page of the department.

So far, six cases have been registered against erring officials from the complaints received on Facebook.

The extensive use of technology to reach out to people has also helped the vigilance department register more cases against corrupt officials in the state.

Statistics shows 404 cases had been registered in 2014 as compared to 285 in 2013. Cases were also registered against 48 Class-1 officials in 2013, while the number went up to 74 in 2014. The department has already registered 251 cases by the end of June this year. A senior official said the overall conviction rate had increased to 54 per cent as compared to 48 per cent last year, one of the highest in the country.

The official said the state vigilance had now turned into a role model for other states such as Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Gujarat and Haryana, who are now keen to adopt the practices followed by Odisha's anti-corruption wing.

A team of officers of Anti-Corruption Bureau of Gujarat, led by inspector-general, vigilance, Shamsher Singh and other officials visited the vigilance directorate in Cuttack to study the practices.

Forty per cent vacancies, particularly in the ranks of inspector and DSP in the state vigilance department, has emerged an area of concern that might create problems for the effective function of the anti-corruption unit here.

However, a senior official said the state government had already been apprised of the situation and the vacant posts would be filled up.

"Earlier, we used to get five per cent from the police modernisation grant and now, the state government has created a separate head for vigilance modernisation. We have also received a grant of Rs four crore this year," Singh said.