Effective Measures to Eradicate Corruption from Public Offices

Bribery, corruption, under the table deals and similar malpractices are quite common in public offices in this country. No files move until the palms of the persons concerned are greased in the manner acceptable to them. Since honesty and integrity are lacking in public servants of various categories, they have generally enriched themselves illegitimately, obtained good jobs for their sons and other close relations and have reaped other benefits, there should be a permanent authority to keep a continuous watch over every action of ministers. In this connection the Lok Pal, appointed some years ago, should be made more extensive and his decisions should be made binding.

Politicians and legislators should also be brought under the jurisdiction of all anti-corruption authorities. There is a general belief that politics and democracy bring corruption in this wake. Corruption should not be tolerated as a necessary evil. But so long as there are people who are ready to offer bribes, cash or gifts or various types, in order to get their work don, and so long as there are greedy people ever ready to accept bribes, this evil will not be eradicated. So others of bribes should be tracked and strict action taken.

The major reason for giving bribes is the delay in the disposal of public business. The pity is that, despite all the campaigns for eliminating delays in the disposal of office work, the bureaucracy continues to function is a tardy manner. The resort to speed money should be made unnecessary. The old outdated time-consuming rules and regulations should be streamlined or scrapped. Lengthy and elaborate procedures prescribed by the government for various tasks should be changed without further delay.

The hypocrisy in private and public life should be eliminated. It is necessary to propagate anti-corruption campaigns, and stress the importance of a clean, honest life, right from the school stage. Our people lack character, unless we develop a good moral character, there would be considerable corruption in public offices. The measures suggested above, would, in my view, prove effective because they would tackle the root causes of graft and corruption. Moreover, in inflation and the cost of living are kept under control, the temptations to earn extra money to feed the family would gradually fade away.