USE THE ANTI-CORRUPTION PLEDGE YOU TAKE AS A PUBLIC SERVANT EVERY YEAR TO CONFRONT YOUR CORRUPT BOSS
WE, THE PUBLIC SERVANTS OF INDIA, DO HEREBY SOLEMNLY PLEDGE THAT WE SHALL CONTINUOUSLY STRIVE TO BRING ABOUT INTEGRITY AND TRANSPARENCY IN ALL SPHERES
OF OUR ACTIVITIES. WE ALSO PLEDGE THAT WE SHALL WORK UNSTINTINGLY FOR ERADICATION OF CORRUPTION IN ALL SPHERES OF LIFE. WE SHALL REMAIN VIGILANT AND WORK
TOWARDS THE GROWTH AND REPUTATION OF OUR ORGANISATION. THROUGH OUR COLLECTIVE EFFORTS, WE SHALL BRING PRIDE TO OUR ORGANISATIONS AND PROVIDE VALUE BASED SERVICE TO OUR COUNTRYMEN. WE SHALL DO OUR DUTY CONSCIENTIOUSLY AND ACT WITHOUT FEAR OR
FAVOUR.
IF THE ABOVE IS NOT ENOUGH CHOOSE SUITABLE STATEMENT FROM THE FOLLOWING
PM’s address at the All India Conference of Lokayuktas and Uplokayuktas
September 29, 2004
Dehradun
Mahatma Gandhiji had understood the gathering crisis of corruption and prophesied that the public would need to be in the forefront in exposing corrupt practices and taking to task those who were involved in them. As early as 1928 Mahatma Gandhi wrote in Young India, ‘Corruption will be out one day, however much one may try to conceal it; and the public can, as its right and duty, in every case of justifiable suspicion, call its servants to strict account, dismiss them, sue them in a law court or appoint an arbitrator or inspector to scrutinise their conduct, as it likes.’
PM's Convocation Address at Manipur University
November 20, 2004
Manipur
This is important because Governance and development administration should be transparent and participatory. I am acutely aware of the cancer of corruption that is eating into the vitals of development administration all over the country, and not just here. There are no administrative solutions to this problem. The real solution is to empower civil society. You young people can play a vital role in bringing greater transparency into governance and making Governments more accountable not only once in five years but at all times
PM’s Civil Services Day Speech
April 21, 2006
New Delhi
Both corruption and communalism remain as important a challenge today as they appeared to Sardar Patel in 1947.
PM’s address to IAS probationers
April 19, 2005
New Delhi
In our country, governments both centre, states and local authorities play a very important role and 33 percent of the national expenditure is accounted by the government which is a large chunk. It is very important that this expenditure is wisely incurred and while decisions are taken, full record should be kept to ensure efficiency and ensure that spending processes do not give rise to corruption, for this bring disrepute to the civil services and the government.
Our people work very hard and we tax even the poorest segments of our society. So our resources should be wisely used. Possibility of misuse and corruption is always there, so it is what you do by setting an example is going to be the determining factor as how public views our government and administration. Administration must make a mark at our commitments, ideas and ideals by which our country stands, that is the service of poor and down trodden.
PM's speech on releasing the book " No, My Lord " by Hari Jaisingh's
April 29, 2005
New Delhi
He has said a lot many things on processes of governance, on corruption. All these are issues of contemporary importance and I do hope that his book will inspire a lot of younger people, journalists and scholars to further analyse some of these ideas as to how we can, as a country, get over the strains that are so visible in the body politik, how we can workg together in a spirit of evolving national consensus, design a new pathway to peace, progress and prosperity, while remaining committed to ideas and ideals enshrined in our Constitution.
PM Inaugurates Lal Bahadur Shastri Memorial
May 7, 2005
New Delhi
Shastriji not only defended the country against external aggression and internal poverty, he also waged a relentless battle against corruption and in favour of values in our public life. His decision to resign from the position of Union railway minister after a rail accident has become a popular tale of public accountability for generations. As the Union Home Minister he was instrumental in appointing one of the first-ever Committees on Prevention of Corruption under the Chairmanship of K. Santhanam. Today, with the benefit of hindsight, the steps taken by Shastriji assume enormous significance in the struggle to eliminate corruption and restore faith in our governance.
PM's intervention in the Lok Sabha on the right to information bill debate
May 11, 2005
New Delhi
We all know that there are widespread complaints in our country about wastefulness of expenditure, about corruption in matters, which have relations with the functioning of our Government. Therefore, it is very important that we must explore new effective mechanisms to ensure that our Government will effectively, purposefully and efficiently discharge the responsibilities entrusted to it. This is the guiding spirit behind this new momentous measure that is now before this august House, that is, the Right to Information Bill.
Even security and intelligence agencies, which are otherwise exempt, are subject to disclosure in cases of allegations of corruption or violation of human rights.
Mr. Speaker Sir, I believe that the passage of this Bill will see the dawn of a new era in our processes of governance, an era of performance and efficiency, an ear which will ensure that benefits of growth flow to all sections of our people, an era which will eliminate the scourge of corruption, an era which will bring the common man’s concern to the heart of all processes of governance, an era which will truly fulfil the hopes of the founding fathers of our Republic.
PM’s remarks on 90th Birth Anniversary of Shri Bhiku Ram Jain
August 5, 2005
New Delhi
Shri Bhiku Ramji’s role as a representative of the people in the Lok Sabha is inspiring and educative. He worked for the cause of good governance, clean environment and a corruption free administration. I recall that while participating in the discussion on the Finance Bill in 1983 he underlined the role of our cumbersome tax laws in the rising incidence of corruption and believed these were making Indian enterprise uncompetitive. He was in favour of the simplification of the taxation regime and saw this as an important instrument of battling corruption. This influenced my thinking at the time and as finance minister I was able to take steps to reform our taxation system. His observation in the early 1980s that more control bred black money and corruption has now come to be accepted as common place.
Prime Minister's Independence Day Address 2005
August 15, 2005
New Delhi
The Central Government, State Governments and Panchayats have to work together so that the expectations of people are fulfilled. If we have to achieve results, there is a need to change the manner in which governments function. There is no space in our government or in our society for corruption and arbitrary action. We are not prepared to tolerate this at any cost. Government servants must work with a sense of public service and they should be held accountable to the people. Governments will have to be made more transparent and accountable. The recently passed Right to Information Act is a landmark step in this direction.
PM’s intervention in the debate on National Rural Employment Guarantee Bill 2005 in the Rajya Sabha
August 24, 2005
New Delhi
I think, China today gets fifty to sixty billion dollars of foreign direct investment. We get not more than five to six billion dollars. I know for certain that there are people who want to come and invest in our country. But they complain about our bureaucracy; they complain about our corruption; they complain about the uncertainty of our labour laws. I am not saying they are right or they are wrong. But I think, we, as a nation, have a collective responsibility to set our house in order. And I say so because India is the flavour of the year. This thing cannot last for ever. Let us take advantage of this highnoon tide, this tide which is running in our favour. In the next five or six years, we must use all resources that we can really mobilise, to build top-class infrastructure. When I go to South-East Asia, I look at Thailand; I look at Malaysia; I look at Singapore — what type of infrastructure do they have!
PM’s valedictory address to the fifth session of the 14th Lok Sabha
August 30, 2005
New Delhi
Utmost care will be needed in selecting viable projects and in ensuring that there are no leakages and avenues of corruption in the utilization of funds.
PM's speech at the foundation stone laying ceremony of CBI Head Office buliding
January 18, 2006
New Delhi
Let me now turn my gaze inward and consider how CBI and other law enforcing agencies should deal with corruption in public life. Corruption is not only a social cancer eating into the vitals of our institutions of governance and our society, but is also a threat to our well-being and national security. It is unfortunate that it seems as if many of us have become far too tolerant towards corruption in public life.
A multi-pronged intervention is needed from policy makers, law enforcement agencies and all right thinking people to stem the rot. A comprehensive approach involving political, electoral, judicial, and police reforms coupled with decentralization and accountability must be the essence of an all out assault on this deep-seated malady.
I sincerely urge all our political parties and patriotic citizens to adopt a policy of Zero Tolerance towards corruption. The National Common Minimum Programme makes a solemn pledge to the people of our country to provide a government that is corruption-free, transparent and accountable at all times, and to provide an administration that is responsible and responsive. And this we have endeavoured to provide.
The CBI should deter by aggressively pursuing all cases against corrupt elements without fear or favour. People, processes, practices and institutions showing particular susceptibility and propensity for corruption should be spotted, isolated and methodically acted against to root out this malady. Our government will appreciate if based on its experience and analysis, the CBI could suggest useful improvements in systems, procedures, rules and regulations of the concerned arms of governance which could help reduce the scope for corruption in our public life.
M inaugurates Conference of Chief Ministers & Chief Justices of High Courts
March 11, 2006
New Delhi
inally, an important aspect of the reform and modernization of the judiciary and improving the incentive mechanism, is to tackle corruption in the judiciary. Instances of corruption have now begun to surface in our judicial system too. The higher judiciary must address this challenge and show the way forward to the rest of the system. And in this context, what has been stated by Hon’ble Chief Justice of zero tolerance for corruption is something I greatly welcome.
As a lay man I can only look at the problem from the outside, as it impinges on common people. Apart from delay in settlement of cases, lengthy court procedures, frequent adjournments, evidence taking procedures, corruption in the judiciary, these are some of the problems of public concern that must be addressed. I suggest that these matters be examined in the light of the difficulties faced by the common litigants and reforms initiated in the judicial and legal process in keeping with the basic principles enunciated in our Constitution. We are living in an era of increasing public awareness and consciousness. As awareness rises, expectations rise as well. The manner in which some cases are being prosecuted, particularly where cases fall because witnesses turn hostile or change their evidence, these are causing concern to ever increasing sections of our society. There is a need for all of us to reflect whether the existing procedures are adequate and foolproof; whether we are using all available provisions to prevent deviant behaviour; and whether we need new provisions in law so that the justice system is seen, in fact, to deliver justice and in time.
PM’s Civil Services Day Speech
April 21, 2006
New Delhi
Both corruption and communalism remain as important a challenge today as they appeared to Sardar Patel in 1947.
PM's Independence Day Speech, 2006
August 15, 2006
New Delhi
We have to pay more attention to the quality of local administration – in our villages and districts, in our towns and cities. We need to rid our municipalities of the cancer of corruption. State governments have a major role to play in this
We have to work hard to eliminate corruption in the delivery of public services, in fact eliminate it from all walks of life. We will work to put in place a system that rewards honesty, probity and efficiency.
PM's address at the Valedictory Session of National Convention on First Year of RTI
October 15, 2006
New Delhi
presenting the case in support of the Bill in Parliament, I had expressed the hope that the passage of the Bill will see the dawn of a new era in our processes of governance, an era of performance and greater efficiency, an era which will ensure that the benefits of growth flow to all sections of our people, an era which will help to eliminate the scourge of corruption, an era which will bring the common man’s concerns to the heart of all processes of governance, an era which will truly fulfill the hopes of the founding fathers of our Republic.
PM’s keynote address to conference of CBI & State Anti-Corruption Bureaus
November 17, 2006
New Delhi
I attach great importance to the work you are all charged with. The questions of good governance, of honesty and of transparency in our system of public administration, have been at the centre of our political discourse for a long time. However, what has changed is the level of tolerance of the people for corruption in our public life and administration.
I was, of course, happy to see that according to one global index of corruption India’s ranking has improved in the past two years. There has been some debate on the veracity of such indices, their relevance in inter-country comparison. However, it is heartening to see that global perceptions about corruption in India are on the mend. But I dare say we have a long way to go and we must all work to get rid of this scourge of corruption which permeates some sections of our public administration.
Corruption is not a new challenge for us. Over four decades ago when Gunnar Myrdal wrote his famous book ‘The Asian Drama’, he identified corruption as one of the constraints on development. He argued that corruption in public life had contributed to the Indian state being a “soft state”, as he put it. The scale, the typology and the mechanisms of corruption may have changed, but the problem of corruption has not gone away
We did make a major dent on it and reduced the scope for corruption when we abolished the Licence-Permit Raj and reduced the extent of discretionary controls. However, I am aware that many controls remain, and need to be either abolished or made transparent and non-discretionary. Reducing Inspector Raj and making necessary inspections transparent and simple will reduce the scope for corruption. This is why we have taken several steps to end the Inspector Raj and replace it with a transparent system of regulation.
Our Government is also intending to bring forward a Public Services Bill before Parliament. The Bill will define a public services code of ethics and management. It will also protect whistleblowers and have the overall objective of developing public services as a professional, politically neutral, merit based, and accountable instrument for promoting good governance and better delivery of services to all our citizens
In helping the Government deal with this cancer from within, all of you, have an important role to play and I commend the good work that all of you are engaged in. The anti-corruption machinery in the country should create a deterrence against corruption by aggressively pursuing cases of high-level corruption to their logical end. Rapid, fair, and accurate investigation of allegations of corruption against public servants at all levels should remain a priority for you.
I submit to you that such a comprehensive strategy against corruption in public life must address what I consider as the following major issues:
First and foremost, we must recognize the need for an integrated approach to dealing with corruption. Agencies like yours cannot operate in isolation. You must have the resources to take a broader view of individual cases and be able to make a distinction between a “bonafide mistake” and deliberate “wrong-doing”.
Second, we must eliminate all discretionary controls and minimize the scope for discretion in the control and regulatory systems we cannot dispense with.
Third, we must reform our tax system, make it simple and transparent, and ensure moderate rates of taxation that enable widest possible compliance. This remains an area where most citizens encounter corruption.
Fourth, the justice delivery system has to be modernized and made more efficient and speedy. Not only must the guilty be brought to book more speedily, but the innocent must be spared the trauma of delayed justice. The assurance of integrity within the judiciary is itself a deterrent against corruption in public life. Hence, prompt action against corruption in the judiciary, at all levels, is also a necessary element of the battle against corruption in other institutions of the State.
Fifth, the reform of public procurement systems both civil as well as defence, with complete transparency in the tendering processes at all stages with publicly recorded discussions is also an integral element of a comprehensive strategy to fight corruption.
Sixth, the Right to Information Act has to be effectively utilized so that it will not only act as a deterrent but also empower citizens to bring to light any acts of corruption. In fact, non-governmental organizations and concerned groups of citizens can and should use the RTI Act to combat corruption in public life.
I also think that Public Services Users Associations can also play an active role in ensuring delivery of such services without corruption. We need a Citizen’s Charter that states explicitly the Rights of tax payers and consumers of public services. A citizen holding a ration card should be able to secure his entitlement without recourse or resort to corruption.
Seventh, the decentralization of administration and the delivery of justice can help in reducing corruption by making the system more accountable to the people they have to serve. Be it municipal authorities or public utilities, be it school teachers or doctors, whatever the service provider, greater community scrutiny and decentralization of administrative control can act as a deterrent against corruption.
In the final analysis, however, there is no better protection against corruption in public life and in public services than an alert civil society. Our Government has empowered civil society through the Right to Information Act. However, it is public minded individuals, NGOs, and the media who have to take the initiative to mobilize people against corruption.
I hope your conference can come forward with ideas that the Government can pursue in dealing with the cancer of corruption. I wish your conference all success.
PM’s speech at the conference on ”The State of the Panchayats”
November 22, 2006
New Delh
One of the objectives of democratic decentralisation is to encourage people’s participation in processes of governance. We hope that this will also help reduce corruption and the abuse of power by various government functionaries. If we introduce mechanisms for social audit and formal audit, we will go a long way towards mitigating the evil of corruption in panchayats. Strong, empowered Gram Sabhas and Ward Sabhas, which meet frequently and regularly to keep the elected executive authority under continuous check and watch, can also guarantee clean Panchayati Raj
PM's speech at Golden Jubilee of Administrative Staff College of India
December 5, 2006
Hyderabad
he business of governance is not something that rests on the shoulders of a chosen few. It rests on the shoulders of us all - government and citizens alike. The three organs of government need to work with a will to make government function better for our people. But we also need citizens to play an active role in exposing inefficiency, in resisting corruption in public life, and in taking forward public programmes that are of benefit to us as a nation. Too often, I fear that a mind that is indifferent to poor quality, indifferent performance, graft and inefficiency is taking hold in India. Citizens must play their due role in resisting this mindset. The Right to Information Act enables citizens to do so in creative manner. I want the citizens of this country to act and check big time corruption.
PM’s speech at the Civil Service Day
April 21, 2007
New Delhi
. Often, policy reform measures do not deliver the desired outcomes because of lack of forward movement in reform of government processes. This is after all, what gives rise to the so-called Inspector Raj. This is what makes the interface of a common citizen with government a cumbersome and daunting affair. This is often the root cause of corruption as well. When I meet individuals or industrialists, it is this aspect of government which is crying out for change.
I sincerely hope we can root out corruption in the civil service and raise the morale of our officers so that they can give their very best to our country. Senior civil servants have a special responsibility to promote a culture of excellence, probity in public conduct and concern for social equity.
PM's address to 2006 Batch IAS Probationers
May 15, 2007
New Delhi
People wherever I go, they want India to succeed. If India succeeds, I think that would be a unique way of telling the world democracy and development are compatible. And that’s why I find great fund of goodwill for India. If there are barriers, there are barriers in our country, in our governance, in our governance processes, the fact there is lot of corruption, both at the political level and at the administrative level. We must tackle this head on. Without improving the quality of governance at all levels, at the Centre, the States, at the grass root level, we can never build an India worthy of our dreams. I do believe, that in this room we have men and women who are going to make that crucial difference. So, I congratulate you for having joined this elite Service of our country and I pray that you will remain faithful to the ideals, to the value system enshrined in our Constitution. That’s the only road forward to sustained progress and prosperity and getting rid of chronic poverty, ignorance and disease which should be the normal ambition of every young person in our country.
PM’s address at the 150th Anniversary Function of University of Mumbai
June 22, 2007
Mumbai
There are complaints of favouritism and corruption. This is not as it should be. We should free university appointments from unnecessary interventions on the part of governments and must promote autonomy and accountability. I urge states to pay greater attention to this aspect. After all, a dysfunctional education system can only produce dysfunctional future citizens!
PM's Independence Day Speech, 2007
August 15, 2007
New Delhi
o make the government, at all levels, more accountable and more transparent, and to fight the cancer of corruption, we had introduced the Right to Information Act. I want every citizen to make full use of this act to ensure that government functions properly and honestly.
PM’s speech on the occasion of 60th anniversary of India’s Independence
August 15, 2007
New Delhi
For all the benefits of development to reach the poor it is essential that the delivery systems of the Government, at all levels, are more efficient and purged of corruption. The cancer of corruption must be extinguished if democracy and development have to have a real meaning for our people.
PM’s address at the Conference of Director Generals and Inspector Generals of Police
October 4, 2007
New Delhi
We need greater discipline, lesser politicization and zero corruption. We are committed to supporting your efforts in this direction. However, you need to provide the necessary leadership and direction to the forces under your command.
PM’s speech at the Conference of Chief Ministers & Chief Justices of High Courts
April 19, 2008
New Delhi
part from pendency and delayed justice, corruption is another challenge we face both in Government and the judiciary. The Chief Justice of India has written to me suggesting that we create special courts to deal with corruption cases. I agree that there is urgent need to do so. This will instill greater confidence in our justice delivery system, at home and abroad.
PM's address at the International Conference of Jurists on Terrorism, Rule of Law and Human Rights
December 13, 2008
New Delhi
Each one of us has therefore a responsibility to discharge. There are attempts sometimes to justify violence in the name of the breakdown of the Rule of Law. Bad governance, non-transparency, corruption and the miscarriage of justice only give anti-social and anti-national forces greater opportunity to feign discontent and hatred. The answer to these inadequacies lies in the more efficient functioning of our institutions, not in their destruction.
I therefore urge each one of us who values the ideas and ideals that define our nation and our Republic to ensure the proper functioning of our democratic institutions. This is imperative in our battle, I should say, in our war against terrorism and extremism.
PM’s reply to the debate in the Rajya Sabha on the President’s address (Preliminary transcript)
June 9, 2009
New Delhi
We are not saying that this is the only means to plug leakages. Shri Janeshwar Mishra is not here. He referred to the need of reforming the bureaucracy and of controlling corruption. Shri Arun Shourie also said that the word 'corruption' was absent from the President's Speech. But it is not far away from my thoughts. I do know that many development programmes suffer from many leakages which need to be curbed and if they can be curbed even with given resources, I think, we can give better results and that will be our effort to deal with the situation as we face them
PM's Independence Day Speech, 2009
August 15, 2009
However good our programmes and schemes might be, their benefit will not reach the public till the government machinery is not free of corruption and till it is not effective in their implementation. I would like our public administration to be more efficient so that programmes for public good can be implemented faster. We need to improve our delivery systems to provide basic services to our citizens. We will act with speed on the recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission to strengthen governance. Renewed efforts will be made to decentralize public administration through the Panchayati Raj Institutions and to ensure greater involvement of people in it. Initiative will be taken for a new partnership between the civil society and the government so that tax payers' money is better spent. We have enacted the Right to Information Act to enhance accountability and transparency in public life. This law will be improved so that it is more effective.
PM’s address at the National Conference of Ministers of Environment & Forests
August 18, 2009
New Delhi
I wish to draw your attention to the view that environmental clearances have become a new form of Licence Raj and a source of corruption. This is a matter that needs to be addressed head-on. There are trade-offs that have to be made while balancing developmental and environmental concerns. But the procedures must be fair, transparent and hassle free. Decisions must be taken within a specified time.
PM's address at the XVII biennial conference of CBI and State Anti-Corruption Bureaux
August 26, 2009
“I am very happy to be in your midst here today. Let me begin by greeting and congratulating today’s recipients of the President’s Police Medal for meritorious services. I hope they will continue to excel professionally and be an example, a resource of inspiration for other officers to follow in their footsteps.
This year’s biennial conference will deliberate upon a very important issue - that of corruption in our public life. The urgent need to combat this menace cannot be over emphasized. Corruption distorts the rule of law and weakens institutions of governance. It hurts our economic growth in a variety of ways, apart from hindering our efforts to build a just, fair and equitable society. Important projects, which have huge externalities for growth, do not get implemented in time, and when they do get finished, they are often of a poor quality. Inflated project costs consume scarce national resources which could have been better used in other important areas in the service of our people. The poor are disproportionately hurt because of corruption. We have some of the most ambitious and wide ranging programmes in place today to help the poor and the marginalised sections of our society. But, there is a constant refrain in public discourse that much of what the government provides never reaches the intended beneficiaries – whether it is subsidized foodgrains for the poor, loans, fertilizers or seeds on concessional terms for small and marginal farmers or the benefit of employment programmes for the under employed and unemployed. This should be a matter of serious concern for all of us collectively.
The world respects India’s democracy, our plural and secular values, our independent judiciary and a free press, our commitment to freedom and peace and our pursuit of equitable and inclusive growth. But pervasive corruption in our country tarnishes our image to an important extent. It also discourages investors, who expect fair treatment and transparent dealings when dealing with public authorities. As the country grows and integrates with the world economy, corruption continues to be an impediment to harnessing the best of technology and investable resources.
The malaise of corruption, so sapping our efforts to march ahead as a nation, should be treated immediately and effectively. And all of you present here today can contribute substantially in this war against corruption. Indeed, you are in many ways in a privileged position to do so.
There is of course no single remedy for fighting the menace of corruption. The battle against it has to be fought at many levels. The design of development programmes should provide for more transparency and accountability. Systems and procedures which are opaque, complicated, centralized and discretionary are a fertile breeding ground for the evil of corruption. They should be made more transparent, simpler, decentralized and less discretionary. The Second Administrative Reforms Commission has given a wide range of recommendations in this regard in its report on ‘Ethics in Governance. I am told that these have been examined in great detail and it should be soon possible to take a decision on many of these recommendations of the Administrative Reforms Commission.
While systemic improvement is a long term goal, one cannot wait for it to happen. Our anti corruption agencies must make the cost of corruption unacceptably high for those indulging in this evil practice. There should be clear focus on corruption prone areas and individuals so that the available national resources for anti corruption efforts are not dissipated. High-level corruption should be pursued aggressively. There is a pervasive feeling today in our country that while petty cases get tackled quickly, the big fish often escape punishment. This has to change. Rapid, fair and accurate investigation of allegations of corruption in high places should remain your utmost priority. The nation expects you to act firmly, swiftly and without fear or favour. And you have the constitutional and legal protection and safeguards to do so.
The ever evolving levels of sophistication and complexity in different cases of corruption present no doubt special challenges for our enforcement agencies. The need is to stay one step ahead of the corrupt. For this, acquisition of new skills, through intensive and regular training, is an absolute pre-requisite. I hope all the agencies present here have already put in place a system of learning and disseminating new ideas and skills for their personnel. It is only a well-trained, well-equipped and well-motivated set of officers who can be equal to the task assigned to them.
It is also necessary for you to upgrade your capabilities by learning from the best global practices. I am told the Central Vigilance Commission has taken many initiatives in improving transparency in the procurement processes in government and public sector undertakings, including the introduction of an Integrity Pact for high value transactions. The Central Vigilance Commission has to play a pivotal role in sharing the best practices with all those involved in the anti-corruption effort. The State Vigilance Bureaus can also play and must play a similar role by interacting with the various State departments, studying their procedures and coming up with suggestions to make them more transparent and less amendable to abuse or manipulation of any kind.
To the officers of the CBI I would say that the people of India have great faith and expectations from you. This is evident from the frequent public demand for a CBI investigation especially when a serious crime takes place. I urge the officers of the CBI to do their utmost to live up to this expectation of our people. There have been occasions in the recent past when the conduct of the Bureau has come in for public criticism. I would like the CBI to have a critical look at itself and introspect deeply with an end to further improve its functioning. I have been informed that CBI has set a target for itself in investigation of cases for the next one year. I would urge the State agencies to set similar targets and goals for themselves and aim at acquiring an enhanced credibility in the eyes of the people at large.
While quick investigation is important and necessary, it is not sufficient to bring the guilty to book. Trials must be conducted expeditiously and judgements delivered quickly. To begin with, the aim should be to conclude the trial in two years so that punishment could be given to the offenders within a reasonable period of time. We have recently decided to set up 71 new CBI courts and we expect them to function as model courts, hold day-to-day proceedings and avoid unnecessary adjournments.
I must also emphasize as I have done before at this forum, the need for the right balance which all of you need to strike in your anti-corruption efforts. It must be ensured that the innocent among our officials are not harassed for bonafide mistakes, even while the corrupt are relentlessly pursued and brought to book. Officials have to be encouraged to take decisions, to accept responsibility, to show initiative and, whenever required, to take risks if our bureaucracy is to shed its slothful and lethargic image. Very often, the fear of harassment and damage to reputation makes public officials unduly timid and slow and the whole government machinery becomes ineffectual. Anti-corruption agencies have therefore to develop a system of investigation that factors this element into their thinking processes. It is as much your duty to protect the honest and the efficient as it is to prosecute and penalise the corrupt.
As you begin deliberations, I wish the proceedings of this conference all the very best. I hope you will come up with concrete ideas on many important issues. Let me conclude by once again congratulating the medal winners for their splendid achievement. May your path be blessed.”
Leaders' Statement: The Pittsburgh Summit
September 25, 2009
Pittsburgh
42. As we increase the flow of capital to developing countries, we also need to prevent its illicit outflow. We will work with the World Bank’s Stolen Assets Recovery (StAR) program to secure the return of stolen assets to developing countries, and support other efforts to stem illicit outflows. We ask the FATF to help detect and deter the proceeds of corruption by prioritizing work to strengthen standards on customer due diligence, beneficial ownership and transparency. We note the principles of the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action and will work to increase the transparency of international aid flows by 2010. We call for the adoption and enforcement of laws against transnational bribery, such as the OECD Anti-Bribery Convention, and the ratification by the G-20 of the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) and the adoption during the third Conference of the Parties in Doha of an effective, transparent, and inclusive mechanism for the review of its implementation. We support voluntary participation in the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, which calls for regular public disclosure of payments by extractive industries to governments and reconciliation against recorded receipt of those funds by governments. Putting Quality Jobs at the Heart of the Recovery
PM's address at the First Annual Conference of the Chief Secretaries
February 1, 2010
While there is unprecedented optimism in the country about our prospects for the future, there are also new challenges that we as administrators face. Governance today has become an extremely complex process. The rising expectations of the people make them impatient with the speed at which we can deliver results. People today resent apathy, sloth, and corruption in any form and at any level of government more than ever before. There is clamour for accountability from all quarters – the legislature, the judiciary and the media. Greater connectivity and greater integration of States in the national economy imply that what happens in one State has an impact on other States. There are problems which require a response which is coordinated not only between the affected States but also between the Centre and the States
Excerpts of PM’s reply to the RS debate on the President’s address (Preliminary transcript)
March 5, 2010
New Delhi
If we manage our affairs well, if we ensure that along with the raising of savings and investment rates, we manage our social and economic infrastructure well and if our processes of governance are reformed so as to minimise the scope for corruption, so as to minimise the transaction cost of doing business in our country, I think, great opportunities are now on the horizon.
PM’s remarks at the opening of New Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly & Secretariat Complex
March 13, 2010
Legislators are also watchdogs of public finances and they must ensure that there is no wasteful use of public money, and that the resource mobilization processes do not adversely affect the incentives for savings, risk bearing and the quest for entrepreneurship and pursuit of innovation. Collectively they need to deal sternly with corruption and inefficiency in our governance processes
PM’s speech on the occasion of 63rd anniversary of India’s Independence
15 August 2010
Today we do not need many new programmes to achieve our goals. However, we do need to implement the schemes we have already started more effectively, minimizing the chances of corruption and misuse of public money. We want to achieve this in partnership with the State Governments, Panchayat Raj Institutions and civil society groups.