Auto union to protest against ‘test-track corruption’ on July 13 The auto union has alleged that there is large-scale corruption on the recalibration test tracks and has threatened a morcha to the legal metrology office in Bandra on 13th July in this connection.
Union leader Shashank Rao alleged that there were unscrupulous agents at the test tracks in the western suburbs, and they charged anywhere between Rs. 200 and Rs. 300 per driver to get the meters recalibrated. “We demand that such corrupt practices be nipped in the bud and the metrology controller should crack a whip on officials under whose connivance this is happening,” he said.
Legal metrology controller Sanjay Pandey said the allegations will be probed into and if he came across any unscrupulous agents, they will be handed over to the police.
Shobhaa De’s answer to question reported:
In the Times of India dated 05.07.2015
Q: Are all female political leaders in India corrupt?
We have been reading about four ladies who seem to have bent the rules recently.
A: No. No. No. Please don’t discriminate against Indian men! Gender equality is a matter of great national interest. Men cannot be left behind. We give equal opportunities to indulge in corruption to all politicians, on the basis of merit, not gender. Remember, we are a democracy.
Disproportionate Assets Cases:
Maharashtra ACB led by DG Praveen Dixit has found assets worth Rs. 7.97 crore till May this year in cases related to disproportionate assets.
The FIFA :
The FIFA corruption scandal escalated as one suspect told of World Cup bribes and another promised to reveal an ‘avalanche’ of secrets, including some about FIFA president Sepp Blatter. The storm went around the globe with South African police commencing an investigation into claims that money was paid to secure the 2010 World Cup.
Despite the best attempts of FIFA , the global governing body of soccer, to conduct its business without any real accountability, it has long been an open secret that the world’s most popular sport is also the most corrupt. On 27th May, the U.S. government charged 14 people, including nine current or former FIFA officials, with money laundering, racketeering and wire fraud.
Youth and Corruption:
The young are up against corruption. And they’re voicing it through social networking sites. This widespread anger at corruption finds a vent on the newly launched Facebook page of the state Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). Within six months of its launch, it has got 22,000 ‘likes’ and 68 people have come up with complaints of corruption on Facebook.
“Most importantly, among those who have commented and ‘liked’ are youngsters. While 30% of these are in the 18-24 age group, 44% are in the age group of 24-34 and only 13% of them are in the age group of 35-44 which shows that the young generation is more against corruption,” said director general of police (ACB) Praveen Dixit.
Dixit said that one can analyse the anger of the GenNext against corruption considering the number of people who have ‘liked’ and commented. He added that this is just the beginning and the number is expected to swell by the end of this year. Through Facebook, many members of the public are posting information of corruption in various departments. “Until now, 68 people have given information and complaints of corruption and one complaint on Facebook has turned into a FIR.” Added Dixit.
CALL to COMPLAIN:
To check corruption and embarrass offenders, ACB has launched a page on Facebook where it uploaded pictures of public servants accepting bribes. The page received 22,122 people likes.
If you wish to complain against corruption, call 24921212 or call ACB helpline numbers 1064 or 1800222021.
MANTRA against Corruption:
To check corruption, which threatens to affect the state’s Make-in-Maharashtra plans, government employees will be counseled to manage expenses within their salaries and not succumb to temptation.
The programme, which will cover all categories of state government employees, right from the Mantralaya officer to the taluka clerk and peon, will start in Nagpur this month and eventually spread across the state. The initiative is by the Maharashtra State Gazetted Officer’s Federation, an apex body of 70 government employee unions, which, despite the nomenclature, includes non-gazetted staff as well.
To ensure a graft-free state, government employees will be exhorted to:
- Learn to meet expenses within salary
- Work towards improving image by acting against redtapism, corruption and inefficiency
- Not fall prey to ‘quick money and corrupt elements as they are damaging to one’s own, one’s family’s and the government’s reputation
- Learn to do a good, legal side business involving family members if in need of money
Survey on bribery:
As many as 66% of businesses in the country believe that some form of bribery is acceptable, in spite of increased regulatory actions and public outcry against corruption, according to survey.
Around 80% believe that corruption is still wide-spread, with 52% saying offering gifts to win businesses is “justified to help a business survive”, 27% of the respondents justify cash payments, the survey on fraud and corruption by Ernst & Young said.
Interestingly, 35% of respondents also believe that “conformity to their organisation’s anti-bribery and anticorruption policies would harm their competitiveness in the market”.
Further, 57% said increased regulation “is augmenting challenges for the growth or success of their business”.
The survey team interviewed 3,800 people from 38 countries across Europe, the Middle East, India and Africa.
The findings revealed that 60% of Indian respondents agree that regulatory activity in their sector had a positive impact on ethical standards.
“The spurt of change being driven by regulators has undoubtedly made a positive impact on business environment,” said the survey.
P. Chidambaram writes:
Narendra Modi was most eloquent when he spoke on corruption and he warmed up to the subject, like no other, when it concerned the alleged corruption during the 10 years of the UPA government. The Prime Minister was the white knight on a silver steed who had come to Delhi to slay the demon of corruption. In his dictionary, “corruption” was a catch-all word that took within its fold impropriety, abuse of authority, conflict of interest, black money, bribes, disproportionate assets and virtually anything that carried a whiff of suspicion. In his book, anyone accused by the BJP of corruption was “presumed guilty until proven otherwise”.
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu on the Lalit Modi controversy
Nobody is involved in corruption. No law has been flouted. No immoral activities have been undertaken by anyone in this government.
Power does not corrupt. Fear corrupts…..perhaps the fear of a loss of power.
