The Transparency International, an international non-governmental organization released its flagship research product, the 2018 Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI).
The Transparency International aims to reduce corruption by working globally and locally in more than 100 countries, governments, businesses and citizens to stop corruption.
In its 2018 edition it reflected that India improved its ranking on a global corruption index in 2018 by rising by three points to 78 among the 180 countries and territories it surveyed with a 41 score out of 100.
The 2018 CPI was based on 13 surveys and expert assessments to measure public sector corruption in 180 countries and territories, each of which are scored from 0-100, 0 being highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.
“With many democratic institutions under threat across the globe – often by leaders with authoritarian or populist tendencies – we need to do more to strengthen checks and balances and protect citizens’ rights,” said Patricia Moreira, Managing Director of Transparency International in a press release.
Launched in 1995, the CPI has been widely credited with putting the issue of corruption on the international policy agenda. More than two-thirds of countries score below 50 on this year’s CPI, with an average score of just 43.
Sharing her views on India’s improved statues in the corruption Index, city based Social Activist, Jaya Banerjee, says, “The Global Corruption Index states that India has improved it’s ranking by 3 points. Many news pieces carried this information, and at the same time having the Lokayukta Bill passed by both houses after due process and amendments in 2013, we still do not have the Lokpal Body in place.
If the government and the people really wish to see corruption decrease drastically, then after 5 years of passing the bill and introducing the law, shouldn’t we have had the Lokpal bodies and machinery set up and in motion?
Corruption is a malaise that every society across the world faces, and more so in India and this at every stage of dealing with any administrative processes. Personally, am not really sure of how this ranking was arrived at.
Yes, some sections report that corruption has reduced; technology has created a certain level of transparency.
However, there are still so many departments that have not yet been able to implement e-governance. RTI applications for information sometimes lie in loops of appeal, the simple reason being, administration wanting to hide corrupt activities.
Are we to believe there is no corruption? Most people just turn a blind eye, either because corruption helps them, or because it doesn’t really affect their livelihood…
The hope of a transparent and corruption-less administration is in most people, but every government fails us.
Let’s hope there is a day soon, when we can be closer to better governance that promotes anti-corruption,” adds Banerjee.
For this 24-year-old student, the corruption Index has little to no meaning. “Even though a student is not into main stream politics or administration to see huge scams being exposed, but at our levels as well, we face the brunt of the existing corruption in the country.
“We still have to depend on multiple lists to get admission in a reputed school or college because merits or excelling in the entrance exams is mere a formality now.
At every step, be it on the roads, educational institution, hospitals, government institutions, corruption and if you try to play against the wave, you will be trapped in a tornado soon.
However, if the statistics say so, then I wonder how corrupt India was, a couple of years was back.”
Satish Manik, a city entrepreneur, quips how the vicious circle has trapped the middle class even if they do not want to encourage corruption in the country.
“Will you not get your child admitted in a school or college? Do you dare complaining about an official with a criminal background for his unjust behaviour?
Will you not get advanced treatments for your loved once knowing that it might cost more than the usual coat? No, you cannot. This is how people in higher positions exploit their posts.
They say if you want to be rich, get into the administration, and to some extent its true too,” Manik quips.
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#All views are those of the individual respondent’s and Pune365 does not necessarily subscribe to them.
Reach her at loveleen@pune365.com or tweet @KaurKaur18
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