- Corruption in India has assumed crisis
proportions; it's scale and spread have increased significantly,
especially during the last two decades. A notable feature regarding
this has been a mutually reinforcing collusion between the political
and bureaucratic levels. And, at each of these levels corruption has
seeped to the top echelons in the Central and State governments. The
malaise, however, isn't confined merely to the executive arm of the
government; it has afflicted legislators, the judiciary, the media and
also the independent professions.
- Though there exist a high level of
expressed concern on the scale, pervasiveness and consequences of
corruption, there has been no effort to translate it into effective
action. The daunting nature of the problem tends to generate a feeling
of helplessness and apathy. This, in turn, is often rationalised in
terms of cynicism or in arguments that tend to acquiesce in
corruption.
- Large and sweeping solutions for the
control of corruption has been suggested; fundamental changes in the
constitution, thoroughgoing deregulation and privatisation of the
economy, large scale decentralisation of governmental activities and
emphasis on moral values and character. While each of these approaches
has its values and validity, they all have their limitations in terms
of scope and feasibility. We cannot rely on them as effective
mechanisms.
Reforms:
Such reforms will need to be addressed to the legal,
institutional and structural aspects of the problem, covering medium and
longer term aspects. The proposals addressing these issues will have to be
reasonably comprehensive, given its ramification and manifestations over
several levels, sectors and transactions in public administration. In
particular, the political bureaucratic nexus in corruption will have to be
taken into account. The attack on corruption will also have to be viewed
in a wider context of administrative reforms. In this perspective, the
exercise will have to deal with what can be broadly classified as the
preventive, punitive and promotional aspects of the problem.
Preventive aspects will include electoral reforms,
especially in the matter of campaign finance; an optimal balance between
the roles of the state and the market involving appropriate deregulation
and privatization, curtailing the role for discretion in governmental
decisions; decentralized governance strengthening transparency and
accountability. The punitive aspect will consist of strengthening laws,
rules and mechanisms for the effective detection, pursuit, punishment and
deterrence of corruption. The promotional aspect will involve the
encouragement of value-based politics and administration, respect for laws
and a culture of compliance with them. |
