The cancer of corruption has been eating into the vitals of the governance in India. Every one has been complaining about corruption and is fed up. The aam aadmi looks to the government for succour. Both the Central and the state governments have been talking of checking corruption but all said and done there is little relief nay there has been rapid rise in levels of corruption at all levels.
Calling it the national anti-corruption strategy, the Central Vigilance Commission of India (CVC) has prepared a blueprint for commitment and action by various stake holders to the government process namely the political entities, judiciary, media, citizens, private sector and civil society organizations, aimed at systematic and conscious restructuring of the national integrity system.
To address political corruption nicknamed as grand corruption, the CVC apart from other measures recommends the speedy establishment of institutions like the Lok pal (it has been in the pipeline for more than three decades) and transparency in the funding and expenditure patterns for elections.
Amongst other measures it proposes to use the Unique Identification Authority of India, or Aadhaar project, and information technology to address administrative corruption.
The report recommends that the citizens should be empowered to resist the demand for bribes by instituting mechanisms like anti-bribery hotlines or whistle-blower provisions so that citizens can report demands for bribes,
All this is very fine but what has been lacking all along is the political will to eradicate corruption. There is no one to bell the cat of corruption.
The report recommends that the citizens should be empowered to resist the demand for bribes by instituting mechanisms like anti-bribery hotlines or whistle-blower provisions so that citizens can report demands for bribes,
All this is very fine but what has been lacking all along is the political will to eradicate corruption. There is no one to bell the cat of corruption.
The existing watchdog bodies at the Central level like the CVC and the CBI and at the state level the Lokayukts, the Economic Offences Wings and the Anti-Corruption Bureaus have made very little difference to the situation. Most Lokayukts have been inactive and most EOWs and ACBs work under the influence and pressure of the government they work for.
Shall we ever have a government that will have the political will to fight corruption tooth and nail? If one day in the distant future there is one, this plan should work eminently well and we may hope to have a corruption free administration.
RJ Khurana
RJ Khurana