Corruption, a pervasive putrescence used to describe a malaise in the human body, has a different but equally troubling impact on the body politic. An embedded system, of complex and necessary gratuities garnished with downright bribery, has permeated thickly into Indian public services, from the lowest rungs of officialdom to the highest echelons of political power.
Corruption has widespread impacts on social and economic development. Skimming funds from the public purse at every level and at every crossing within the chain of command results in only a fraction of government outlay reaching its intended beneficiaries. Necessary gratuities for the receipt or maintenance of public services like water, telephones and electricity, add to the cost of provision of basic amenities, especially to the poor. Systemic corruption has meant that officials do not process paperwork, issue orders, or accept tenders until a compulsory bribe has been paid. This not only grinds to a halt the efficiency of the governance process, but weighs the system heavily against those who do not have the financial muscle to pay bribes up front.
Unlike good governance, which only a few privileged citizens are able to benefit from, corruption is endemic to the lives of every Indian. From driving licenses to passports, from ration cards to even voter identification cards, greasing palms has become a way of life.
A few noble souls do try to stand up against the system. I recall a friend of mine attempting to pass his driving license test without bribing the transport official, despite humorous warnings from overlooking touts. It goes without saying that even as passing pedestrians were wont to praise his driving skills, he failed the test, not once but three times. Frustrated and with his revolutionary resolve come to naught, he found that a few hundred rupees later, the test did not have to be passed, indeed it did not even have to be taken. Delusion with the system begins imprinted on the license photographs of our young citizens as they reach the age of adult franchise.
Years later, trying to renew my passport, I met an officer of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-corruption Bureau, who was of distance acquaintance, but had happily offered to help me expedite the process. Being a man handed the task of fighting corruption, I was a bit surprised, even fearful of entrapment, when he told me that a few thousand rupees other than the official processing charge would be required for various other ‘fees’ inside. Upon handing him to sum and happy to have a spanking new passport in my hand, I could not help but put to him the irony of the situation. Pondering the question he answered very seriously that his department went after the large scamsters who swindled thousands of crores from the public purse, these petty ‘fees’ for underpaid employees could be overlooked as a matter of livelihood.
The frank and unabashed nature of the man brings to light the kinds of corruption in a country like India. At the rosy end of the spectrum is the shameless corruption of uncontrollable greed that plagues big government tenders, acquisitions and projects. Thousands of crores are siphoned off from the likes of infrastructure, armaments and even fodder. These are then either piled under the inglorious charpai of the otherwise dhoti wearing, buffalo rearing farmer or deposited into secretive Swiss bank accounts by smooth talking arms merchants sporting linen suits and plucky ties.
Years later, trying to renew my passport, I met an officer of the Central Bureau of Investigation’s Anti-corruption Bureau, who was of distance acquaintance, but had happily offered to help me expedite the process. Being a man handed the task of fighting corruption, I was a bit surprised, even fearful of entrapment, when he told me that a few thousand rupees other than the official processing charge would be required for various other ‘fees’ inside. Upon handing him to sum and happy to have a spanking new passport in my hand, I could not help but put to him the irony of the situation. Pondering the question he answered very seriously that his department went after the large scamsters who swindled thousands of crores from the public purse, these petty ‘fees’ for underpaid employees could be overlooked as a matter of livelihood.
The frank and unabashed nature of the man brings to light the kinds of corruption in a country like India. At the rosy end of the spectrum is the shameless corruption of uncontrollable greed that plagues big government tenders, acquisitions and projects. Thousands of crores are siphoned off from the likes of infrastructure, armaments and even fodder. These are then either piled under the inglorious charpai of the otherwise dhoti wearing, buffalo rearing farmer or deposited into secretive Swiss bank accounts by smooth talking arms merchants sporting linen suits and plucky ties.
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The author is Assistant Editor, Development Channel
1 comment:
We are all I think aware of the problem but no ready solution jumps to the mind, unfortunately.
I wonder if making at least some of these monetary transactions (processing fees/registration charges etc) electronic would make some difference to the scale of corruption in basic services. I know of course, that it would exclude a vast majority who do not yet have access to internet and so on. But having seen mobile phones in remote tribal areas, I feel it will be less and less of a problem in the near future.
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