According to the Corruption Perception Index (CPI), India’s ranking is 86th among the 179 countries. In India, only 1.6% of citizens pay income tax. From this data, we can only imagine the corruption level in India. India cannot develop with these statistics.
A study conducted by Transparency International in 2005 resulted that more than 62% of Indian citizens had at least once paid a bribe to a public official to get a job done. The most significant contributors to corruption are the social programs and schemes enacted by the Indian government like NREGA, MNREGA & NRHM. Many Indian citizens have millions of rupees in their Swiss bank accounts, but they are not accountable to anyone- why?
Some very famous scams are:
- 2010 commonwealth games scam
- Adarsh housing society scam
- Coal mining scam
- Cash for vote scam.
The causes of corruption in India include excessive regulation, complicated taxes, and licensing system’s lack of transparent laws and processes.
Why do bureaucrats accept bribes?
Bureaucrats of India enjoy good salaries, good residences, better lifestyles. However, they take bribes because of greed, and this cycle never ends. The greed of money leads them to take the hard-earned money of a common man. This also questions the legitimacy of the selection process of bureaucrats, no matter if they are clerks or IAS officers.
Why do people give bribes?
We are living in a society, where it is set in our mind that not a single work can be done in our administrative system without a bribe. Also, a traffic rule breaker who is fined Rs. 1000 can be easily released by paying 50% of the amount to the pockets of traffic inspectors.
Impact of corruption
- Higher the corruption, lower the development.
- Higher the corruption, higher the poverty
- Higher the corruption, higher the greediness in the officials.
- Higher the corruption, higher the economic loss
- Higher the corruption, higher the Mafia Raj
- Higher the corruption, higher the black money
- Higher the corruption, higher the starvation
- Higher the corruption, higher the criminalization of politics.
- Economic inequality.
What Are The Solutions?
A one-stop solution to this problem lies behind the motive of this problem. As I mentioned earlier, bureaucrats take bribes mostly for their future generation, which means their kids. Then we have to come up with a change; whenever any bureaucrats are found convicted then it should be mentioned on their upcoming generations’ report cards and degrees. This decision will certainly stop the officials from taking bribes.
Other solutions:
- Lokpal, Lokayukta
- Anti-Corruption Board
- Digitalization of money
- More awareness.
Please suggest your best solutions in the comment section.
This was first published here.