Reflection Essay on Corruption in India

Corruption in India is a major issue and adversely affects its economy. A 2005 study conducted by Transparency International in India found that more than 62% of Indians had firsthand experience of paying bribes or influence peddling to get jobs done in public offices successfully.  In its 2008 study, Transparency International reports about 40% of Indians had firsthand experience of paying bribes or using a contact to get a job done in public office. 4] In 2012 India has ranked 94th out of 176 countries in Transparency International’sCorruption Perceptions Index, tied with Benin, Colombia, Djibouti, Greece, Moldova, Mongolia, and Senegal.  Most of the largest sources of corruption in India are entitlement programmes and social spending schemes enacted by the Indian government. Examples include Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act and National Rural Health Mission.

Other daily sources of corruption include India’s trucking industry which is forced to pay billions in bribes annually to numerous regulatory and police stops on its interstate highways. 8] Indian media has widely published allegations of corrupt Indian citizens stashing trillions of dollars in Swiss banks. Swiss authorities, however, deny these allegations.  The causes of corruption in India include excessive regulations, complicated taxes and licensing systems, numerous government departments each with opaque bureaucracy and discretionary powers, monopoly by government controlled institutions on certain goods and services delivery, and the lack of transparent laws and processes.

There are significant variations in level of corruption as well as in state government efforts to reduce corruption across India. The economy of India was under socialist-inspired policies for an entire generation from the 1950s until the late 1980s. The economy was characterised by extensive regulation,protectionism, and public ownership, policies vulnerable to pervasive corruption and slow growth. In 1960s, Chakravarthi Rajagopalachari suggested License Raj was often at the core of corruption.  The Vohra Report, submitted by the former Indian Union Home Secretary, N. N. Vohra, in October 1993, studied the problem of the criminalisation of politics and of the nexus among criminals, politicians and bureaucrats in India.

The report contained several observations made by official agencies on the criminal network which was virtually running a parallel government. It also discussed criminal gangs who enjoyed the patronage of politicians — of all political parties — and the protection of government functionaries.  According to Jitendra Singh, “in the bad old days, particularly pre-1991, when the License Raj held sway, and by design, all kinds of free market mechanisms were hobbled or stymied, and corruption emerged almost as an illegitimate price mechanism, a shadowy quasi-market, such that scarce resources could still be allocated within the economy, and decisions could get made. These were largely distortions created by the politico-economic regime.

While a sea change has occurred in the years following 1991, some of the distorted cultural norms that took hold during the earlier period are slowly being repaired by the sheer forces of competition. The process will be long and slow, however. It will not change overnight. ” One of the major problems and obstacles to development in India has been endemic corruption and political inertia to change.  As of December 2008, 120 of India’s 523 parliament members were accused of crimes, under India’s First Information Report procedure wherein anyone can allege another of committing a crime.

Many of the biggest scandals since 2010 have involved very high levels of government, including Cabinet Ministers and Chief Ministers, such as in the 2G spectrum scam, the 2010 Commonwealth Games scam and the Adarsh Housing Society scam, Coal Mining Scam, mining scandal in Karnataka and cash for vote scam. A variety of organisations have been created in India to actively fight against corrupt government and business practices. Notable organisations include:

• Bharat Swabhiman Trust established by well known Yog Guru Swami Ramdev running a large campaign against black money and corruption since last 10 years. 5th Pillar is most known for the creation of the zero rupee note, a valueless note designed to be given to corrupt officials when they request bribes.
• India Against Corruption is a movement created by a citizens from a variety of professions and statuses to work against corruption in India. It is currently headed by Anna Hazare.
• Jaago Re! One Billion Votes is an organisation originally founded by Tata Tea and Janaagraha to increase youth voter registration.  They have since expanded their work to include other social issues, including corruption.
• Association for Social Transparency, Rights and Action (ASTRA) is an NGO focused on grass-roots work to fight corruption in Karnataka. One organisation, the Lok Satta Movement, has transformed itself from a civil organisation to a full-fledged political party, the Lok Satta Party. The party has fielded candidates in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Bangalore. In 2009, it obtained its first elected post, whenJayaprakash Narayan won the election for the Kukatpally Assembly Constituency in Andhra Pradesh.