Essay on Combating Corruption-Technology as an Enabler....needed as soon as possible
Answers
COMBATING TECHNOLOGY AS AN ENABLER
One of the happy memories I treasure is the fact that as Central Vigilance Commissioner in the year 2000, I was able to initiate the observance of the Vigilance Awareness Week nationwide in all the offices of the Govt of India with effect from 31st October which was the birthday of one of the greatest leaders and an icon for integrity – Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Sardar Patel is indeed the maker of modern India. In a remarkable historic feat within a period of 18 months from the date of India’s Independence on 15th August 1947, he welded our country into one integrated nation by persuading more than 600 native states to integrate with it to become a modern independent nation. He overcame the challenges put up by the ruler of Junagadh and the mighty Nizam of Hyderabad who opted to join with Pakistan.
If Sardar Patel had prevailed and had also handled the problem of Jammu and Kashmir, J&K would have become a part of India long ago. There will be no Kashmir problem.
Sardar Patel was also a great icon of integrity in all senses – intellectual, moral and financial. He demonstrated that it is possible to be an active participant in public and political life without having any taint of corruption. I am happy that the practice of observing one week in every year as the Vigilance Awareness Week is being continued year after year.
While the Vigilance Awareness Week was observed from 31st October in the years 2000 and 2001, from the year 2002 the strict adherence to 31st October has been given up for some unknown reasons. In recent political debates especially during the election campaign, the contribution of Sardar Patel was vigorously highlighted and emphasized by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He has also indicated an imaginative project for erecting the world’s largest statue in memory of Sardar Patel.
I would therefore strongly urge that at least from this year 2014 the government should officially declare that 31st October, Sardar Patel’s birthday will mark the observance of the Vigilance Awareness Week every year.
Technology and especially information technology, has made remarkable breakthroughs and the growth of this sector has indeed been dramatic. The greatest antidote to corruption is transparency. Sunlight is the best antiseptic for corruption. Information technology helps in handling a great mass of data and also greatly improves accessibility.
The world has become a global village thanks to IT. It’s a common experience that people in villages do not enjoy the luxury of anonymity. In a village community everyone knows everybody else. Corrupt practices are more difficult in such a community. The people in villages are likely to be more honest in their day to day activities than those who live in big towns and cities.
That is perhaps the reason why we find that in the time of our forefathers there was a greater degree of honesty in the community than what prevails today.
The following technologies have created an environment by which there could be greater transparency in our modern communities. Corruption can be checked by naming and shaming and more important bring to book those who indulge in it.
Some of these technologies are likely to be useful and emerge as enablers in combating corruption.
1.Smart phones with facilities for taking photographs, recording conversations and ever growing applications for a wide range of activities. These have made every citizen a potential vigilance activist and whistleblower.
2.The citizens’ power is multiplied by the large number of TRP hungry 24x7 news channels. Naming and shaming as a strategy for corruption was initiated for the first time in the world by the CVC in January 2000 when the names of corrupt officials of the senior civil services like IPS, IAS, IRS against whom prosecution has been recommended or major penalty suggested by CVC, were published. This scope has increased tremendously thanks to the ubiquitous application of information technology in the context of e-governance and e-seva.
Corruption is a
community level, individual level ,state level and national level problem that is creating difficulties for the public. Corruption
is the phenomenon of demanding and taking bribes to do some job that should be done
without bribes. It is the extra money one
demands to do one's duty. It
is the phenomenon of illegally utilizing government or public funds and
property for selfish use and benefit. It is the practice of doing scams,
inside trading, improper allocations of jobs. Corruption, in a
nutshell, is thedishonest/disloyal
practices in
performing one's duty.
There are many reasons
for corruption in India. If we remove these reasons and prevent them,
then corruption will be removed.
1. high taxes -
selfish people do not want to pay taxes to government.
Adjust the tax structure to the liking of
people. Also, people must understand the need for taxes and pay
honestly. Education must be imparted properly to make people believe and
practice honestly.
2. Unavailability of
sufficient opportunities for every one for their qualifications
Create enough opportunities for every one. Create
more industries, allow for more production, export. Decrease
imports. Make India as a producing factory and not as a market for
outsiders.
3. Selfish people want to earn more
money or get to a
higher position quicker than the normal pace. Lack of proper education at
school and college levels. Educate people properly
on moral, ethical and social values.
4. Forces by
other people in office or intimidated by powerful persons. Create a
pressureless - harassment-less and exploitation-less work environment.
5. Escalating
costs for basic needs such
as housing, sites, education, dowries or expenses for marriages.
Control costs very much. This is essential.
6. Lack of
transparency in the system where
services are provided. Create transparency as
much as needed. We are improving on this aspect.
7. Delays in
approvals in the regular official procedures, red tape.
Facilitate e-governance and speed up official procedures.
stop red-tapism.
8. Limitations of
anti corruption officers in catching. Limitations of law and
judiciary in enforcing it. Allow a strong ACB.
9. Roots of
corruptions being rooted already very deep into the political, industrial, social
structures.
See that the corruption does not spread too much in future.
Stop it and see that new generation is more honest sincere and hardworking.
People who are most selfish and lazy are the people who promote
corruption. Political corruption must be first stopped.
10. Investments in
foreign or Indian banks or markets being easy to hide
bribes as black money.
Improve relations with foreign banks.
Expose the corrupt people with money in foreign banks. Bring all the money back
to India. Make a rule to strictly not to allow foreign banks to take in
black money.
11. Improper
education of morals, ethical values. Lack of faith in good
discipline, truth, Satya, virtues
All children must receive good education in their
schools and colleges that tells about the bad social practices and the improper
social balance due to the malpractices.
12. Corruption is
there because there is black money. Black money is deeply rooted everywhere and
probably involved in major transactions. Running black money is
probably a proportion of annual budget. So it is not easy to kill
it. I will take decades. The need for bribes has to be closed first.
Singapore is
an excellent example for India.
Benefits
of Honesty: Whether being honest makes a person
rich or not, it makes a person true to self, confident, courageous, ideal
citizen, and a model person. Such a person gets respect and earns enviable
fame in the society.
It is better to be away from corruption. There are many
opportunities for people in ever growing society with newer technologies coming
in and developments taking place.
Brashtachar Band Karen, ya to naash hone taiyaar ho jayen.
Corruption is a disease. Honesty is the medicine.
Save the Country, Eradicate Bribery
Root out Corruption , before it Consumes India.