Vice President releases ‘India Corruption Study 2007’

Extract of Shri M Hamid Ansari, Vice President address:

Over the years Transparency International India has done commendable work to quantify corruption, described by the Xth Plan as the ‘most endemic and entrenched manifestation of poor governance’. The focus of this latest report is on analysing the misery caused by corruption to the poorest of the land, for accessing the most basic of services. What are the findings? They cover five basic services – PDS, hospital, school education, electricity, and water supply - and six need-based services – police, land records, forests, housing, banking and NREGS. In specific terms, they reveal:

About one-third of BPL households paid bribes to avail one or more of these eleven services.

The benefits of recent steps taken to improve delivery of public services have not substantially percolated down to the poor as yet.

Nearly two-third of BPL households could not avail of PDS, School Education and Electricity as they could not pay the bribe or use contact or influence to avail of the service.

The situation stands at an alarming level with regard to police and Land Record/Registration.

I am confident that both the government and civil society would take the Study and these suggested correctives seriously. An old maxim states that eternal vigilance is the price of liberty. In today’s world, it is also insurance for proper governance. In the final analysis, good governance involves meaningful response to the public’s desire for clear, effective, and transparent governance. I commend the effort of Transparency International India and Centre for Media Studies and thank Admiral Tahiliani for inviting me today.

Read full address at India Corruption Study 2007

Comment: A similar study needs to be undertaken by the Ministry of Defence in respect of working of Zilla Sainik Boards all over India, with a view to streamlining and eliminating corruption so that the innocent Jawans do not fall prey for whose welfare the organisational set up exists.