Published Data and Reports on Indian Corruption
Read interesting corruption statitistics and related reports published by watchdog agencies on India.
[For full reports click on the links]
A. Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI)
Since 1995, Transparency International has published an annual Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) ordering the countries of the world according to "the degree to which corruption is perceived to exist among public officials and politicians". The organization defines corruption as "the abuse of entrusted power for private gain".
The 2003 poll covered 133 countries; the 2007 survey, 180. A higher score means less (perceived) corruption. The results show seven out of every ten countries (and nine out of every ten developing countries) with an index of less than 5 points out of 10.
As per the survey data published by Transparency International for the year 2009, New Zealand is the least corrupt country in the world with the CPI of 9.4 (Rank 1) and Somalia is the highest corrupt country with a CPI of 1.1 (rank 180)
India stood at the 84th rank with a CPI of 3.4.
[For more information on this click: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corruption_Perceptions_Index ]
B. SOME DISTURBING TRUTHS ON INDIAN CORRUPTION
Today, if one would say that any particular Indian is honest to the core, it could only be a case of exception rather than a rule.
The study of world phenomenon on corruption has repeatedly branded India as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Unfortunately, this view has not disturbed most of the Indians at all and they do not seem to care as to what others think of them; so long as the existing systems and practices would allow them to make money and get things done in one way or the other.
The irony is that India is still considered to be a very religious country and it is still widely believed that the religion is the basis of Indian life, thoughts and actions. This is obviously true, considering the fact that there are hundreds of temples, churches and mosques spread all over the country and they are all densely visited day in and day out by the feverishly praying Indians.
[Read more on this article by a concerned Indian here : http://www.pucl.org/Topics/Human-rights/2002/corruption.htm
3. HISTORY OF CORRUPTION IN INDIA
The history of corruption in post-Independence India starts with the Jeep scandal in 1948, when a transaction concerning purchase of jeeps for the army needed for Kashmir operation was entered into by V.K.Krishna Menon, the then High Commissioner for India in London with a foreign firm without observing normal procedure. Contrary to the demand of the opposition for judicial inquiry as suggested by the Inquiry Committee led by Ananthsayanam Ayyangar, the then Government announced on September 30, 1955 that the Jeep scandal case was closed. Union Minister G.B.Pant declared "that as far as Government was concerned it has made up its mind to close the matter. If the opposition was not satisfied they can make it an election issue.” Soon after on February 3,1956 Krishna Menon was inducted into the Nehru cabinet as minister without portfolio.[Read more here: http://www.southasiaanalysis.org/%5Cpapers3%5Cpaper219.htm ]
4. INCOMPETENCY AND CORRUPTION GO HAND IN HAND
Speaking on the sidelines of the three-day India Economic Summit 2009 in New Delhi, Indian industrialist Rahul Bajaj termed corruption and inefficiency as the reasons behind the slower economic growth of the country.
“I would say education helps and then physical infrastructure…with roads, ports and all that in the next level, we are terrible compared to even China and there comes the problem of implementation. There are two major reasons behind improper implementation and they are inefficiency and corruption. When we have a leader who gets credit for everything good, he should get the debit for everything which is not good. The whole system since the last 60 years needs to be revamped. Elections just happened. From where did so much money come? Look at our former Chief Minister of Jharkhand,” said Rahul Bajaj, Chairman of the Bajaj Group of Companies.