What Makes India Corrupt?
By Goodpal, 29th Sep 2011 | Follow this author
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Posted in WikinutNewsWorld
Bad governance, lack of transparency, and complicated procedures are major attributes of Independent India. They provide fertile ground for corrupt practices to grow. Global Integrity Report of 2009 also highlights some glaring flaws in Indian governance.
- Bad Governance and Corruption
- Why Corruption Thrives in India?
- Global Integrity Report and India
- India Report Card – Global Integrity Index 2009
- Conclusion
- Suggested Further Reading
Bad Governance and Corruption
In a world where money is god morality cries and corruption thrives. Since the institutions that used to care for moral values in society are no longer relevant in today’s technology oriented world, the only way to keep corruption at bay is the good and efficient governance. Good governance is a prerequisite for strengthening the economic and social performance of a country. Hence, corruption and good governance are certainly related in opposite ways.
Good governance is dependent on accountability – of those responsible for running the country, mainly politicians and bureaucrats. Lack of mechanisms (or weak mechanisms) to hold them accountable for their actions is the common reason that allows them to get by with sins (or errors of omissions and commissions, in today’s popular languages). This happens when the governance is not participatory – where general public is mere spectator.
Therefore, good governance necessarily means an accountable system of governance. Accountability has two components, Proactive – ensuring fair and proper selection of public officials and participatory governance; Reactive – ensuring transparent and legitimate conduct and enforcing liability on the conduct of public officials.
In order to work properly, the mechanisms for accountability must not be under government control – it defeats the very purpose – and they must be easily accessible to the ordinary people.
Why Corruption Thrives in India?
Lack of transparency and complicated procedures are two important hallmarks of Indian bureaucracy. General public can never understand what is actually going on in the minds of top bureaucrats and their representatives sitting at the top. Indian politicians have also done a brilliant job of staying above accountability: they have kept the main investigating agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation, under the control of government and denied it freedom to initiate investigation against public officials (wrongly called “public servants” in India) without permission. The other two top bodies – the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the Controller & Auditor General – are also reduced to advisory roles (advise can always be ignored!). The CVC is, in reality, like a non-executive ombudsman or a paper tiger.
Another brilliance of Indian politicians has been to thwart creation of an independent ombudsman with freedom and power to investigate top bureaucrats and ministers, for last Forty Years. Recently, a notable Gandhian social worker, Anna Hazare sat on a “fast-till-death” to pressurize the government to immediately pass a strong ombudsman bill. It was surprising to see a spontaneous and widespread mass support to his peaceful movement – perhaps first such movement in the history of independent India.
The third factor that has been encouraging organized corruption is the absence of legal protection to whistleblowers. The news of harassment and even murder of those who expose corruption is a common occurrence in India.
Global Integrity Report and India
Global cross-country surveys have been repeatedly highlighting the rather poor quality of governance in India, in comparison with other major economies. This poor governance and the resulting high corruption is the prime cause of high poverty and ineffectiveness of family planning efforts – India failed to achieve the targeted fertility rate of 2.1 by 2010 end needed for population stabilization.
The Global Integrity Report provides an understanding of the governance and anti-corruption mechanisms in a country. It uses over three hundred actionable indicators to provide a picture of citizens’ and businesses’ access to key governance and anti-corruption mechanisms and their effectiveness. The elaborate scorecards take into account both existing legal measures on the books and ground realities of practical implementation which is what really counts for the citizens. The final out put comes in the form of the Global Integrity Index (GII) which should have been more aptly labeled as “governance effectiveness indicator”.
Difference between the red and blue scores in the image above gives the gap in implementation of the written law. A wide “implementation gap” is a sign that written law is widely ignored, creating a situation where real reform depends more on political will than on new laws.
India Report Card – Global Integrity Index 2009
India’s score (70 out of 100) implies that it is only moderately capable of handling the menace of corruption and has lot to do in improving its governance. It also highlights a large gap between the legal framework and actual implementation on the ground. The report rightly exposes that of all six indicators the weakest is the Government Accountability (59, Very Weak). When seen in light of high score on Oversight and Regulation (80, strong) it implies that there is a vast “implementation gap”.
In fact, any ordinary Indian can testify that implementation is the weakest area – and often people don’t even know the existence of many laws concerning them. A glaring example is the PESA Act of 1996. It is the most important piece of legislation that empowers the 8% tribal population to rule themselves and manage their local resources – so that their exploitation at the hands of the bureaucrats and other rich and influential people stops. It is a law social activists working in tribal areas always want to know but find little information. It is just one example of a good-intentioned law remaining only on paper.
The report also rightly states that “the country struggles with promoting transparency and accountability in the financing of political parties and candidates”. For instance, there are currently no regulations that require parties or candidates to disclose the donations they receive. This is where the seeds for future corruption are sown.
Conclusion
Corruption coming from bad governance is the major reason for most of the major problems such as poverty and high population. And speaking analytically, ineffective implementation of laws, absence of proper accountability mechanisms, opaque electoral financing, and absence of laws to protect the whistle-blowers are four major shortcomings in the governance system of India.
Suggested Further Reading
If you liked this page, you may also be interested in
The Corruption Landscape of India
India: A Good Country with Bad Governance
What is Wrong with the World?
Comments
30th Sep 2011 (#)
Excellent analysis, Goodpal. Corruption runs rampant almost everywhere these days.
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30th Sep 2011 (#)
Thanks Steve, for sharing.
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25th Oct 2011 (#)
Circulated to all responsible citizens , Govt officials and press for reactions in the interest of nation great India
Date : 22-09-2011
To,
The Hon'ble Chief Minister
Govt of AP , Hyderabad
Sir,
Prayer for action - Regarding
Authorized criminals Mr Vidyasagar IAS , Mr AK Khan IPS , Mr Amith Garg IPS , Ms Ratnaprabha IAS and more than 200 at least every day loot crores of rupees by misusing the offices concern while colluded with mafia by organizing many frauds. Brutal torture is the only reply to the public if any raised objections or pointed out the MAFIA RAJ . I am inhumanly subjected to torture two days by letting the challenges to murder me and entire my family members too by CCS police led by Mr Umamaheswar Rao who are nothing but cruel animals selected particularly for the job since well trained in crimes to oppress our voice against corruption & bribery in the directions of Mr Khan commissioner of police Hyderabad. In this connection I was already tortured nine days in private spots by the same police . Submitted the facts in detail in the report furnished to the AP State Human Rights Commission is enclosed below for your kind examination to react appropriately in the interest of nation.
Thanking you sir
SIVA PRASAD AEE GNSS
Irrigation Dept YMR Colony
Proddatur -516361
Andhra Pradesh
Ph & Fax 918564250956
Mobile 919705069680
Date : 15-09-2011
To,
The Chairperson
AP SHRC , Hyderabad
Sir,
Through Ms Jaya Vindhyala President PUCL Andhra Pradesh
Ref: HR Case No : 1862 of 2011 of AP State Human Rights Commission Hyderabad
In the very routine style Mr Umamaheswar Rao also misrepresented the facts to the AP SHRC while deviated the issues at his favor in the report as replies in the cited above case as organized criminal and particularly trained in crimes , but unfortunately police in Andhra Pradesh at Cyber Crimes PS in CCS Hyderabad . Actually said Umamaheswar Rao took confession statement at his dictations as authorized criminal after brutal torture in the illegal detention of two days in the CCS police station in the directions of Mr Khan commissioner of police Hyderabad as conspired with goondas and anti social elements instigated by corrupt bureaucrats Mr Vidyasagar and many others in the Govt of Andhra Pradesh who bribed by huge amounts to over act on only intention to oppress our voice against corruption and bribery and also to defame PUCL too while exposing me as a member of said NGO. The true copies of the telegrams booked by Ms B.Adilaxamma mother of Ms Vastala collected from me are not enclosed by the corrupt CCS police in the report to the XII ACMM court Nampally along with remand diary connected to the false case under crime No 197/2011 of Cyber Crimes PS CCS since conspired and colluded with IAS scoundrel Mr Vidyasagar on some understandings only on intention to trouble me further and further while confusing the process of trail . The same in original may be procured from telegraph office as concrete evidence in the interest of justice. The directions of the Hon'ble Chief Justice High Court of AP in OCJ No 3353/2011 dated 05-07-2011 addressed to the Member Secretary AP State Legal Services Authority Hyderabad , the directions of AP State Human Rights Commission in the HRC No 6480/2011 dated 30-06-2011 and the directions of the Member Secretary in the LSA No 5965/2011 dated 02-07-2011 addressed to the District Legal Services Authority Tirupathi may be obtained to know the facts to decide the police abuse by CCS Htderabad as concrete evidence in the interest of justice. In addition to this incoming and outgoing phone calls particulars over the mobile number of Adilaxmamma ie 09666424756 since June 15 th to till date shall also be procured and examined to know the facts. It is told that she has received calls from many police officials ,courts from Tirupathi , Chittoor & Bangalore too . Corrupt CCS police intentionally not reported the facts since bribed by heavy amounts in this regards.
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29th Jan 2012 (#)
I find one more article decrying India. I want to shout loud and clear corruption is not only in India. I had the good fortune of visiting most of the countries under communist rule and seen the corruption in those countries. The classic example is the leader of Romania who had a castle befitting Royalty.Nothing could be done without greasing the palms of officials. My theory was the corruption is directly proportional to the socialism practiced. This is not to say corruption does not exist in countries like the USA. The big companies like Boeing, Lockheed pay huge kickbacks to get billion dollar contracts. In the USA the military contracts are riddled with corruption. An ash tray in a Lockheed bomber was charged $250. Under Reagan's rule funds meant for housing of poor were embezzled to the tune of billions of dollars. I can quote several instances of corruption in the UK also. A recent report indicated Tony Blair the ex-PM has not paid taxes on his income correctly. Several MPs including members of the House of Lords have used public funds for personal expenses.Corruption is relative. The indices for corruption compiled by some agencies are not fair to India. There is no perfect nation and corruption is a universal phenomenon. It can never be eradicated as long as human greed exists. It should be reduced by introducing transparent methods. Bribe has two parties, the giver and the taker. The giver is as guilty as the taker.Our politicians have taken bribes because the western contractors selling arms, planes and other goods were willing to pay bribes.One should be objective and realistic in writing these articles.
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