---------------------------------------------------------- ***** CHRISTMAS PARTIES 2002 *****
Dec 21 - GOA-LA, Los Angeles, +1 (714) 821-6168 Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED] for a free party announcement Archives: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Goa-Net/ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Goanet2003/ ---------------------------------------------------------- India-Politics/Society-Corruption (625 words) 'Corruption will stay but citizens can make a difference' By Vishnu Makhijani, Indo-Asian News Service New Delhi, Dec 18 (IANS) Corruption, like prostitution, will never end but citizens groups can ensure it reduces as governments will resist moves to eliminate it, the Indian head of graft watchdog Transparency International (TI) feels. "Fighting corruption requires political will which is just not there. Therefore, civil society movements will have to wear down political resistance to change," Admiral (retired) R.H. Tahiliani told IANS. TI India Tuesday released an empirical study on corruption in the country that found Indians pay a whopping Rs. 267 billion in bribes annually, with the health sector perceived to be the most corrupt with people being made to pay for what they are entitled to. Just how serious the Delhi government, for instance, is about fighting corruption can be gauged from the fact that it has stonewalled a key component of a Citizens Charter that it had agreed to implement at the instance of TI India. "Such charters exist the world over and enumerate the services people can expect from public utilities. The Delhi government agreed to implement a Citizens Charter but not the penalty clause that goes with it. Without this clause, the whole exercise becomes meaningless," Tahiliani, a former chief of the Indian Navy, said. In Britain, there are more than 10,000 Citizens Charters that set service standards at levels that have a direct impact on the quality of an individual's life. "In Britain if a minister fails to keep an appointment that he has given, the individual concerned not only gets a letter of apology but also a cheque for 70 pounds, which is deducted from the minister's salary. Unless you make public servants accountable, you cannot hope to reduce corruption," Tahiliani contended. The TI India survey, conducted by ORG-MARG was based on the responses of 5,000 people across the country who were polled on their perceptions of 10 public services: police, health, power, education, land, judiciary, taxation, government-run foodgrain outlets, telecommunications and railways. "The findings of the survey are a cause of serious concern for the whole country because two-thirds of India's 19.3 million public servants are involved in these sectors," Tahiliani held. These public servants hold office with central and state governments, quasi-central and quasi-state institutions and rural and urban local bodies spread over 200,000 establishments and offices across the country. "India is one of the most regulated economies in the world with power concentrated in the hands of a few. The receivers of public services are largely poor, ignorant and illiterate. There is also absence of transparency and accountability of public servants. There is no system of rewards and punishments for public servants," the survey report held. "Why should the people of India be denied the benefits of corruption free services leading to better quality of life, growth and human development?" Tahiliani wondered. What is even more frightening is that the survey only deals with "discernable" corruption and not the "grand larceny where politicians, bureaucrats and others in power pocket hundreds of millions of rupees in kickbacks on public procurements," he maintained. "This first category of corruption is difficult to quantify and has led India to be ranked 71st on TI's corruption perception index for 2002," he pointed out. In such a scenario, the need for an ombudsman to investigate charges of graft against those holding public office becomes vital but in spite of 35 years having passed since the concept was mooted, it's nowhere near reality. "The idea of creating a Lok Pal (ombudsman) was first suggested in 1967. A watered down bill on this is even now pending in Parliament but is nowhere near getting passed," Tahiliani lamented. --Indo-Asian News Service ======================================================================== Ongoing: Exhibition of paintings, Art Chamber, Calangute www.goa-art.com Dec 14 onwards: Shireen Mody's Goa 2002 exhibition, Arpora. Tel 2276759 Dec 17, 18, 20: Indo-Portuguese furniture, lectures Fundacao Ph 2230728 Jan 18-19: International kite carnival at Morgim beach, Pernem ========================================================================
