Corruption: India rank at 72nd position among 180 countries

[Lambretta]

Ohh.........ok....sorry!!

[app_engine]

Now, what are the "practical" steps that government can possibly take to reduce corruption at all levels?

[steveaustin]

Corruption eats into growth

If a country, like a human being, is known by the company it keeps, what images do the following countries conjure: Albania, Senegal, Madagascar, Serbia, Montenegro and Panama? According to the 2008 Corruption Percep-tion Index put up on the website of Transparency International, India is ranked 85th jointly with these countries.

Sixty-one years after independence, not one major contract with the government is awarded without a commission or cut going to the political powers that be. The high courts are awash with writ petitions challenging the shady manner of awarding tenders. The latest controversy before the Delhi high court on the awarding of contracts in the telecom sector is just one more example.

Corruption now pervades every wing of the government. It is impossible to get a sale-deed or vehicle registered, a building plan sanctioned or obtain refund of tax without paying a bribe. The worst form of corruption is harassment at the hands of inspectors acting under various statutes. Apart from multiple taxes levied at the Central and State-level, there is a huge cost of paying bribes at every stage.

Coalition politics increases corruption drastically. With ministries having an uncertain term of office, the one-point programme is to make maximum money in the shortest possible time. Corruption is today a secure, safe and tax-free method of making money. In the last 61 years, hardly any politician or IAS / IRS / IPS officer has been convicted for corruption. Every week, we have news reports of income tax and excise raids unearthing large amounts of unaccounted money. Not one person is convicted; everything can be swept under the carpet for a price. Finally, if there is one factor that will prevent India from ever shining, it is corruption. Lee Kuan Yew led Singapore to dizzying heights of growth and economic prosperity fundamentally because his government was corruption-free.

On anti-corruption day, it is important to reflect on the choices we have. Considering the institutional failure, the common man needs to get more alert and involved in the fight against corruption. Unless we decide to take strong steps against corruption and follow the Singapore model, we will always keep company with the Albanias and Senegals of the world.

http://www.deccanchronicle.com/chenn...0into%20growth

[rajraj]

Illinois governor arrested on corruption charges:

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/...nor/index.html

A former Illinois governor is in jail for corruption. If I remember correctly another governor went to jail for corruption long time back.
A congressman also went to jail for personal use of stamps provided for official use.

A vice president had to resign (Spiro Agnew).

Compare this to how corruption is treated in India !

[app_engine]

Recently the Detroit city mayor was put into jail. His story is here :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwame_Kilpatrick

After months of making headline news, finally he was removed and subsequently sent to jail. I wonder anything of this sort happens to any politician in India (unless for political vendetta).

[anbu_kathir]

Corruption classes in Indonesia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7870442.stm

Love and Light.

[sarna_blr]

Corruption classes in Indonesia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7870442.stm

Love and Light.

"It's like a social disease," he told me. "The people in Indonesia - even though we're a republic and a democracy - still live according to an aristocratic system. So, the normal people look to the leaders as if to the king, or the queen."

not only the name it seems

[anbu_kathir]

Corruption classes in Indonesia

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7870442.stm

Love and Light.

"It's like a social disease," he told me. "The people in Indonesia - even though we're a republic and a democracy - still live according to an aristocratic system. So, the normal people look to the leaders as if to the king, or the queen."

not only the name it seems

A hundred years of undeterred conviction will solve the problem.