What is corruption
- greek word: “Corruptus” (to bend)
- WB: use of public offices for personal gains
- 2nd ARC: Report on Ethics in Governance:
- Corruption = Monopoly + Discretion + Secrecy - Accountability
- systemic and systematic in nature
- systemic: rel. to functioning of system (political, economic, administrative, social, cultural)
- systematic: takes place in highly organized manner
Factors behind corruption
- Political
- biggest reason
- election - huge expenditure (raised thru corruption)
- public offices used for personal gain
- Economic
- post 1991 LPG economic reform did not see administrative reform
- govt retained absolute monopoly over resource allocation
- crony capitalism
- industrialists joined hands w/ politicians, bureaucrats in unholy nexus
- use proximity to people in power to get control over natural resources
- Socio-cultural
- liberalization materialistic societies
- willing to exploit others for selfish interests
- recognition in society based on success, not goodness
- rapidly changing value system
- more tolerance towards corruption
- Administrative
- we inherited colonial administrative system, whose basic objective was to exploit native indians
- same exploitation continues
- 2nd ARC: 21st-century India is still governed by 19th-century rules and regulations
Important features of these structures include
- absolute state monopoly
- high secrecy
- centralization of power
- huge amt of discretionary powers
- complicated rules & regulations
- complete absence of citizen participation in governance
- total absence of accountability mechanisms
Is corruption good or bad
- acc to economists, some amt of corruption good to improve efficiency of system renal activities
- bureaucracy known for inefficiency (red tapism, time-cost overrun)
- should be incentivized to improve efficiency
- efficiency of entire economic system depends on efficiency of administrative system
- but above argument is WRONG from legal and ethical dimensions
- All India Civil Services conducts rules & regulations that prohibit civil servants from accepting bribes
- servants already paid govt salary; can’t demand more bribe
- they must negotiate more w/ govt if they’re not satisfied
- -ve consequences
- destroying administrative structure
- widening gap b/w rich & poor
- being responsible for environmental degradation
- moving system towards entropy
Reforms against corruption
- multidimensional
- political
- parliamentary
- economic
- electoral
- governance
- civil services
- budgetary
- judicial
- police
- regulatory
- behavioral
Lokayukta
- Lokpal & Lokayukta Act 2013
Issues
- no protection to whistleblowers
- inadequate provision for appeals
- prohibits transparency
- political influence
- selection committee consists of members from pol parties
- no criteria to decide who is eminent jurist
- delays due to non coop by govt dept, state investigating agencies
- corruption complaint can’t be registered after 7yr
- judiciary out of purview
Way forward
- 2nd ARC
- PM be out of purview of lokpal to not undermine its capacity
- provide constitutional backing to office w/ financial autonomy