Joginder, ex-CBI chief, on corruption

[Sanjeev Sabhlok <sabhlok@almaak.usc.edu>]

Got this from Jal. Thought this is extremely relevant for us on this list.
I have some comments at the end of the article. SS	

Open society and its enemies 
Opinion/Joginder Singh 

>From   http://www.the-pioneer.com/test/edit3.htm

Talking about the common man has become a cliche in Indian democracy. All
public policies and Budget schemes are made in his name and for him. This
year's Plan Budget itself is about 9 lakh crores. Almost double this
amount would be spent as non Plan expenditure.  A similar amount, if not
more money, would be spent in the states by the State governments. 
Massive amounts have been reportedly poured into the economy and yet the
country remains where it was 50 years ago.  The rich have become richer
while more than half of the population survives below the poverty line. A
person is said to be below the poverty line if cannot afford 1800 calories
of food every day. The prices of basic essential commodities are literally
going through the roof. The price of pulses, which is the common man's
staple food, is between Rs 18 to Rs 25.  The minimum for the cheapest
quality of rice is Rs 15 per kilo. Wheat flour prices have also shot up
abnormally.  Assuming a person has to purchase these items for a
four-member family, the head of the family has to earn at least Rs 100
every day to pay for day-to-day expenses and basic survival. And yet, Rs
100 may not be enough to buy food which could actually provide 7200
calories to the family.

It has been admitted by the Government itself that out of Rs 100, only Rs
15 are spent on any scheme of development. The rest gets siphoned to the
pockets of unscrupulous politicians and dishonest public servants. It
looks as if all plans and development are there for the benefit of those
in charge of the delivery system. It is this nexus which is eating into
the vitals of the nation. 

What do we do to tackle this problem? To solve a problem, there must be
built-in provision for coordination and implementation. It should also
generate gainful employment opportunities and ensure integration and
cohesion with overall policies. A solution should also have built-in
safeguards against lack of vigil and leakages.

The position at present is that there is a thrust only on formulating
schemes which is followed by a lackadaisical approach in the process of
implementation. The situation is critical and has been dogging every
Government. In fact, there is a resigned sense of acceptance and nobody
even talks about the money actually spent on poverty alleviation. This was
explicitly stated during the course of an interaction in a workshop; the
participants said that certain schemes for the poor were auctioned by the
District Collector and whichever department paid more bribe, it was
entrusted to them. When this issue was taken up by the Central Government,
the State Government totally denied the existence of any racket of this
kind. This is the usual administrative response when it is confronted with
its failure to check and handle any problem.  They simply deny the
existence of the problem.

This ritual of denial, unfortunately, neither solves the predicament nor
can it wish away the problem. The official response is that it either
underplays the problem or politicians choose to wring their hands in
despair. But they cannot fool the people, especially those at the bottom
rung of society.

A few corruption cases did arouse public interest and there was a general
demand to handle the problem sternly. A former Prime Minister, with a lot
of fanfare, set up a complaints cell in his office. This was done with a
view to give an impression that the then Prime Minister was a crusader
against corruption. Within a few days, if not weeks, the issue of
corruption was put on the back burner, with the same gentleman making a
public statement that even God almighty cannot improve the situation in
India. 

Instead of ensuring that people's money is spent on people's welfare, a
number of leaders have not only been conniving, but also participating, in
the plunder of State treasuries. Unfortunately, this has been happening
all over Asia. Ferdinand Marcos, former President of Philippines, stashed
millions in his Swiss account. Two Japanese prime ministers were found
guilty of taking bribes from American firms. A former South Korean
President has also confessed to the same misdemeanour. In our
neighbourhood, General HM Ershad, former President of Bangladesh, spent a
considerable period in jail. Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir
Bhutto, has been charged with stashing kickbacks in Switzerland. Nearly
$300 million, over Rs 12000 crore, lying in her account has been frozen by
the Swiss authorities.

Former President Suharto allegedly had his cut of 10 per cent in every
foreign deal. His wife Tien Suharto was called Mrs 10 per cent. According
to Asia Week, the wealth of the second son of former President Suharto
named Hutomo 'Tommy' Manadal Putra, is estimated at over $600 million or
over Rs 25,000 crore. Suharto's grandson, Ari Hryo Wibwo Sigit, 27, is
reported to have wealth worth $500 million, that is, Rs 21,000 crore.

This need not bring any consolation to us in India; that others around us
are equally corrupt. It does not solve our problem. Court trials and
disposal of cases can take anything from five years to 25 years with
pendency of over 25 million cases all over the country.  By that time,
some witnesses may either be won over, or may be dead, or disinterested to
the point of genuinely having forgotten the cases.

The common man, the focus of all debates and schemes, is the worst
sufferer. He cannot hope to get justice from a creaking and unresponsive
administration. A number of commissions were set up to suggest reforms but
they have only recommended that the strength and power of the bureaucracy
should be increased. Most evil in the system flows only from the state
which is doing so many things it should not be doing. A few simple steps
can greatly help ameliorate the lot of the common man. First of all,
prominent boards should indicate the existence and functions of each
office. It should be boldly stated as to who is charged with what duty and
who should be approached in case of complaints. A time frame for a certain
work should be set. Each office should bring out a free publication every
year stating what it is expected to do and what it has done. Unless it is
something pertaining to the defence or security of the country, all files
of the decisions taken should be made available for public scrutiny on
payment of a prescribed fee.  Above all, inaction should be punished with
equal severity.

More than anything else, it is time that the information contained in
musty Government files is not only made available, but also published. All
the funding for development is done through the states. It will be
laudable, if the states and the Central Government could publish, as soon
as the Budget is passed, the district-wise allocation of money, for each
scheme and department with the names and designation of the persons in
charge-from the juniormost officer to the seniormost officer. This
information should also be available on the internet so that people
themselves could keep a watch as to where the money sanctioned for a
particular scheme has gone.

We could even ask that such information be made available since 1952, when
the first Five Year Plan was conceptualised. Maybe we can do nothing for
the money which might have gone down the drain. But a vigilant public and
upright legislators can ensure that no money is shown spent on building
roads, where none have been built, or when purchases are made from
non-existing firms. 

It will also be useful if the statistics of pending cases with the Police
and the cases pending in the courts are also published so that a public
debate could force reforms in the criminal justice system. 

My comments
===========

While not quite on the dot, I think, in some claims on the magnititude of
corruption (but that is a minor point only), the three things he
recommends are vital (and virtually all of these are already in the
Manifesto/agenda, plus more):

a) "A number of commissions were set up to suggest reforms but they have
only recommended that the strength and power of the bureaucracy should be
increased. Most evil in the system flows only from the state which is
doing so many things it should not be doing" [this is in the preamble]

b) All govt. files should be accessible to the public [publishing is a bit
outlandish, though] - this is part of the manifesto on transparency. We
can add this specific point if not there already.

c) Publishing detailed lists of funds allocated and who is responsibile. 
[this is very difficult to implement but given proper computerization,
should be possible] - can be included in the agenda.

Clearly Mr. Joginder Singh and we are talking on the same wavelength. If
an ex-CBI chief talks like this, we must believe him. If many civil
servants who have actually worked in Govt, and who are on this list, talk
like this (even though many have not raised their voices due to fear of
reprisal and other reasons), we must listen to them. Corruption in India
arises from the expanding role of the state and its cloak of secrecy. Two
things that must be reversed.

The only "grievance" I have against all these individuals like Joginder
(and myself) is that we always complain about the problem, then offer one
or two solutions and then keep quiet. Such people should come together and
talk. It does my nation and yours, no good to have good people talk a bit
and then revert into anonymity. Let us all debate the details and the
nitty gritt of the alternative system we want to see. Unless the detailed
blueprint is in place, nothing can be done. 

If it is possible to contact Joginder and if he can get connected by
e-mail, then he should be brought into this forum. We need all the
Joginders of India to come together and work out an alternative detailed
'operating system' for India. That is how the Suhrid Gangulys of India
will find a reason to live on. [for those who don't know Sahrid, check
out: 
	http://www.cine.net/lists/search.html  ]

SS


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