Har subah sirf utho mat Jaago Re TATA TEA

Corruption in India is all pervasive; it creeps in the political, judicial, police and security system. Be it the Harshad Mehta scam, Bhansali scam or the fact that 31% of the Public Distribution System (PDS) goes into the pockets of corrupt businessmen. It could be at the local rationing department, hospital, police, municipal department, contractor or educational institutions like schools and colleges. Corruption can create a huge impact on the economy. It worsens India’s image in international market and leads to loss of overseas opportunities.

While speaking on the issue, former President A P J Abdul Kalam opined that a strong youth movement in the country can remove and finally eradicate corruption and enjoy a corruption-free India. It is the duty of each student to curb corruption in their own homes first. A ‘top-down’ approach to eradicating corruption is not sufficient; change at the individual level has to coincide for it to work. The resolution to control corruption must be at all levels; State, Business, and Society.

On Nov 30, 2009, Pune chapter of the Public Concern for Governance Trust (PCGT) was held at Sancheti hospital which discussed pertinent issues related to payment of electricity bills, the function of MSEB and the Pune Municipal Corporation, and land ownership. There arises a need for active voicing and discussion of corruption and ways to control it.

Earlier a bribe was paid for getting wrong things done, but today, bribe is paid for getting right things done at the right time. According to Corruption Perception Index Report released by Transparency International, India ranked 85 out of a 179 countries, where corruption is rampant. It was found that more than 50% people had firsthand experience of paying a bribe to get a job done through a public office.

Kerala is the least corrupt State in India. Bihar, on the other hand, is the most corrupt State. Jammu & Kashmir ranks next to Bihar. Himachal Pradesh followed by Gujarat is ranked second and third respectively after Kerala. This can probably be due to the fact that literacy is highest in Kerala.

It has been revealed that Health and Power sectors are the most corrupt sectors amounting to a staggering figure of Rs. 26, 728 crores a year. The sectors surveyed were health, power, education, land, judiciary, police, taxation, public distribution system, telecom and railways.

The source of corruption is most commonly from political elite who serve self interest rather than that of the nation. It is a state when the basic value system of the society is manipulated. Poor government salaries also cause many officials to resort to corruption. Election time is a time when corruption is at its peak level. Bribery to politicians buys influence, and bribery by politicians buys votes. However, the biggest reason for corruption to thrive is people’s tolerance to corruption and the notion that nothing can be done about it to the extent that they have become cynical of the system entirely.

Corruption perhaps cannot be eliminated completely but with due restraint can be controlled. The common man should be given the right to recall the elected representatives if they see them becoming indifferent to the electorate. Strict laws and policies need to be implemented so that there is no room for discretion for politicians and bureaucrats. Public participation is the key to minimizing corruption. Political parties must get their accounts audited regularly and file income-tax returns; persons with criminal records must be denied a chance to contest elections.

People need to exercise the Right to Information Act (2005) and equivalent acts in the states that require government officials to furnish information requested by citizens or face punitive action. Computerization of services and various central and state government acts that established vigilance commissions have considerably reduced corruption or at least have opened up avenues to redress grievances.

This gives a common man the right to ask the Govt. why the roads outside his house are not fixed, why has he not received his “ration card”, why is there so much garbage in his area that is not picked up etc...
The complainant needs to file an application with the PIO (Public Information Officers). The PIOs are responsible for collecting information wanted by you and providing that information to you. In the case of all Central Government Departments, certain post offices have been designated as APIOs. This means that one can go to any of these post offices and submit the fee (For Central Government Departments, it is Rs.10. However, different states have different fees) and application at the RTI counter in these post offices.

N. Vittal, a recently-retired senior Central Vigilance Commissioner who is well versed in the administrative machinery of the Government of India has authored a book entitled Corruption: The roadblock to national prosperity. He has delivered over 400 speeches in the recent past to diverse audiences ranging from students, professionals, industry bureaucrats, etc. He attributes nepotism, consumerism among others as the social causes of corruption. He opines that fighting corruption is like fighting a war; war is too dangerous a matter to be left to the generals. It is in such discussions and written work that the pertinent issues related to corruption and how can it be combated effectively is raised and collectively, India’s youth can combat corruption and keep it in check.