Corruption in India - There's a Hope After All

by Rajesh Chaubey
October 20, 2005

Recently Corruption Perception Index (CPI) 2005 was released by Transparency International. As per CPI, Bangladesh is the most corrupt nation in the world and India ranks 71st on a list of 159 countries. A big contribution in bringing India down is that of Bihar, which has been rated as the most corrupt state in a study done by the Centre for Media Sciences. Overall India has done better than in 2004. India's CPI score has improved.

Corruption is a major cause of poverty as well as a barrier to development. Corruption is a plague that attacks societies and the infection spreads. It works its way gradually through the entire system, until each and every activity that occurs is affected by this plague. The bribes grow constantly, both in terms of size and in terms of frequency, and as they grow, the financial health of the country is eroded. There comes a time when it gets so institutionalized that it seems to be the natural way of life.

The fight against corruption must go on and it must be upgraded to a full scale war. Certain heart warming steps in that direction have been seen recently.

I congratulate the TV channel Aaj Tak. They have started this wonderful series. Till date, their team has visited three Government institutions and has filmed Government employees in the act of getting their palms greased. The guilty then found themselves on TV screens doing what they have always done, only this time the world was watching them. After the airing of the program people have been suspended right, left and center. Thanks to technology which has provided us with ever so tiny cameras, the corrupt are finding the going increasingly tough. I only hope this effort catches on and local TV channels also start such operations.

Further, the Government has opened a special cell that will monitor all bank transactions made in India, including yours and mine. This has been done to track down black money and to find the source of funding of terrorists. However, the very idea that big brother is watching will generate the much needed deterrent fear in the minds of the corrupt.

Also, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is under pressure to put all the politicians under the purview of Lok Pal and to introduce the Bill in the winter session of Parliament.

These are all steps in the right direction. India is on the rise and to ensure that the fruits of development reach the masses this cleaning up needs more impetus.

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