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India’s Humongous Corruption: GROWTH & PROSPERITY BE DAMNED, By Proloy Bagchi, 9 June, 2016 Print E-mail

Open Forum

New Delhi, 9 June, 2016

India’s Humongous Corruption

GROWTH & PROSPERITY BE DAMNED

By Proloy Bagchi

 

Corruption remains a major barrier to growth in India. This earth-shattering finding was made by an unlikely organization, the World Economic Forum (WEF), a Swiss non-profit based near Geneva. Its mission is supposed to be "... improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional, and industry agendas".

What the Forum has unearthed has always been known to most of us although, perhaps, we could never pin point the extent of corruption in the country. The Forum has indicated this in specific terms in its report “Building Foundation for Transparency” under its Partnership Against Corruption Initiative. Choosing to look into the sectors of real estate and infrastructure its investigators were told by Indian protagonists that under the prevailing ‘system’ the bribes paid could be considerable and could account for as much as 50% of the project cost or more.

The prevailing system meant ambiguous norms for change of land use, dodgy land records and the need for multiple clearances  which compel the project developer to pay speed money, presumably, to several individuals and/or outfits. Besides, perhaps, rules regarding change in land use are deliberately kept ambiguous to dole out favours by those in authority to big and influential project developers in exchange of big money. These findings, the Forum felt, have “strong implications for the competitiveness of the Indian markets”.

Undoubtedly, the WEF has used the hammer lightly and preferred to look away from the reality. That almost all State Governments are driven by the real estate and construction lobbies is an established fact. Pertinently, the Economist had once remarked that State Governments are sold to these lobbies either because of demands by Parties in power or the politicians’ own venality. Indeed, real estate developers and infrastructure contractors are the ones who are really fat cats and buy off Ministers with their financial muscle.

In fact, State Governments are literally led by their nose and the proof is visible in almost all cities. Forgetting all the environmental or civic norms, buildings and complexes come up with or without the necessary approvals. What if a project is not approved?  Money can buy the approval at a later date. Any wonder, buildings, roads, drainage dams and everything infrastructural are all of poor quality as money thickly line the pockets of bureaucrats and politicians – the thickness of the lining being determined by the station of the recipient in the Government.

This has been the standard practice since the British days but has assumed huge proportions post-Independence as those at the helm have been participating in the game with increasingly greater enthusiasm. The padding of 50% or more has been forced on the project executor because of the prevailing utter lack of ethical behaviour all over.

The WEF findings apart, the country’s own Union Defence Minister Manohar Parikar asserted recently that the VVIP choppers which were procured from AugustaWestland during UPA rule for Rs300 crores a piece should not have cost more than Rs.150 or 160 crores each. According to Parikar kickbacks paid to various people doubled the price of the choppers. All those reportedly mired in the scandal include the security establishment at the highest levels, bureaucrats, a number of Air Force officials including an Air Chief Marshal and a number of politicians of the UPA as also Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

Recall, an elaborate charade was played out to bring the AugustaWestland helicopters within reckoning for VVIPs to be flown to high altitude military posts. Even the parameters for selection were revised to consider the Augusta Westland helicopters. Shockingly, the test flight that was taken on a different helicopter in a different country, not on the Indian heights.

True, since Independence there have been numerous scandals involving defence deals. The jeeps scandal in 1948 totalling 18 lakhs, though trifling in comparison to the mind-boggling ones in current times, which short-changed the Indian Army by 45 jeeps wherein only 155 were received against 200 for which payment had been made. While Krishna Menon, the main culprit, was made a Minister, Prime Minister Nehru brushed the matter under the carpet.

Since then, numerous magnum-sized defence deals were negotiated and billions of rupees eaten up by unscrupulous politicians, bureaucrats and middlemen which could have bought thousands of jeeps, howitzers fighter guns, planes and VVIP choppers. 

Why defence? Every sphere in governance is infested with corruption. From allocation of coal mines to giving telecom spectrum, from holding the Commonwealth Games to even granting approval for opening medical colleges, every sector of the Government has somehow failed to remain untouched by corruption.

At the Central level corrupt practices are fewer but the States are dens of corruption. So many Chief Ministers and other Ministers have been caught with their hands in the till. In Bihar a former Chief Minister literally looted the State treasury as he allowed fraudulent payments from the treasury for cattle feed for personal gains. There are rackets galore and politicians and officials of  States make merry.

Importantly, our moral and ethical standards have plummeted so low that every Government servant, high or low, wants to be a crorepati. Cases abound where lowest rank employees have been found to have stashed a billion of rupees. Consequently, an aspiring society apparently is trying to satisfy its aspirations mostly by immoral and corrupt means and making no bones about it.

Questionably, if the entire Governmental structure is predominantly corrupt can the country ever prosper? Prime Minister Modi seems to be making an effort but the progress, if at all, will be at snail’s pace – especially as States might drag him down.

Remember, once upon a time India was known as “Sone ki chidia”, a “golden sparrow”, because of its immense riches. Ancient India had prosperous trade with countries in West and South-East Asia. There was intense interaction of people with their trading partners. Foreigners wondered at the gold in temples and on women’s bodies. Alas, the riches attracted invaders who came to piller and plunder.

Even Lord Clive was astounded by the riches of Bengal’s Murshidabad which was reportedly richer than even London. Famed author Mark Twain too was stunned by the “land of dreams and romance, fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, splendour and rags, of palaces and hovels...”

 Whether Muslims or British, they all came and looted the country and took away India’s wealth. Now that the foreigners are gone, it is our “netas” who are doing the same. Trillions of rupees have been siphoned off by them since Independence in collaboration with their partners in crime. But for them and their nefarious gangs, the country could have possibly regained the sobriquet of “Sone ki Chidia” by now! ---- INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

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