Heights of Bureaucratic Corruption

Heights of Bureaucratic Corruption

Corruption in India is an issue which affects the economy of central, state and local government agencies in many ways. Corruption is blamed for stunting the economy of India. Study conducted by various agencies recorded that more than 80%of Indians had at some point or another paid a bribe to a public official to get a job done. In fact it is considered a part of any essential service in India
Standing in a queue to pay household tax to a Local Administration Office is a very common thing. However even here the evil face of corruption surfaces. It is evident that bribing an official can reduce your taxes by nearly three fourth of what is due. Having been a witness of such misdemeanours forces you to join the ranks of the bribers.
Various factors contribute to corruption, including officials siphoning money from government social welfare schemes. The media has widely published allegations of corrupt Indian citizens stashing millions of rupees in cold hard cash, among whom there were a large number of Government officials. The de recognition of the 500 and 1000 rupee notes in 2016 was a move by the central government to stop money laundering and hoarding. The hoarding took place when Government Officials stashed large amount of bribe money. The corruption continues unabated.
The causes of corruption in India include excessive regulations, complicated tax and licensing systems, numerous government departments with opaque bureaucracy and discretionary powers, monopoly of government controlled institutions on certain goods and services delivery, and the lack of transparent laws and processes. There are significant variations in the level of corruption and in the government’s efforts to reduce corruption across India.
Just to mention a couple of problems that we have faced over the last few years. Kerala Water Authority sends their people around to make collections. They give you bills that are hardly reflective of the consumption. And then there has been the request to change the meter as it was faulty. Money has changed hand, nearly five times the value. To date no one has come over to even check it. There has been calls from the ministry and yet the officials are not bothered. This is the fate of a request that was lodged with KWA Kowdiar division, and had not been moved even an inch since it was handed. The attitude of the officials is one of absolute nonchalance and discord. The attitude is one that makes one feel that we are the ones owing money to these official and not the real owners.
Revive Vellayani was one of Swasthi Foundation’s project of pride. A lake that had been abandoned for over eighty years had lain awaiting destruction. That is where we set out to improve. We de weeded it, brought the Indian Navy in to conduct a hydrographic survey, something that had not been done over eighty years since the British left the land. We stepped in cleaned the lake, created a local watch force that would keep an eye on this lake for ever. The media went gaga over it forcing the government to take notice. To gain some foot hold the Government announced taking proactive steps in this realm. The newspapers reported this. We let the machinery have all the relevant details. And ……then nothing. Every bit of work done has been allowed to be wasted and the lake is slipping back to its old neglected state. The KWA that pumps water to a third of the city from the lake has not even cleared a twig or rotten leaf off the lake and the irrigation department the legal entity that owns the lake has literally shrunk the lake to a third of its size.
Corruption in India is an issue which affects the economy of central, state and local government agencies in many ways. Corruption is blamed for stunting the economy of India. Study conducted by various agencies recorded that more than 80%of Indians had at some point or another paid a bribe to a public official to get a job done. In fact it is considered a part of any essential service in India
Standing in a queue to pay household tax to a Local Administration Office is a very common thing. However even here the evil face of corruption surfaces. It is evident that bribing an official can reduce your taxes by nearly three fourth of what is due. Having been a witness of such misdemeanours forces you to join the ranks of the bribers.
Various factors contribute to corruption, including officials siphoning money from government social welfare schemes. The media has widely published allegations of corrupt Indian citizens stashing millions of rupees in cold hard cash, among whom there were a large number of Government officials. The de recognition of the 500 and 1000 rupee notes in 2016 was a move by the central government to stop money laundering and hoarding. The hoarding took place when Government Officials stashed large amount of bribe money. The corruption continues unabated.
The causes of corruption in India include excessive regulations, complicated tax and licensing systems, numerous government departments with opaque bureaucracy and discretionary powers, monopoly of government controlled institutions on certain goods and services delivery, and the lack of transparent laws and processes. There are significant variations in the level of corruption and in the government’s efforts to reduce corruption across India.
Just to mention a couple of problems that we have faced over the last few years. Kerala Water Authority sends their people around to make collections. They give you bills that are hardly reflective of the consumption. And then there has been the request to change the meter as it was faulty. Money has changed hand, nearly five times the value. To date no one has come over to even check it. There has been calls from the ministry and yet the officials are not bothered. This is the fate of a request that was lodged with KWA Kowdiar division, and had not been moved even an inch since it was handed. The attitude of the officials is one of absolute nonchalance and discord. The attitude is one that makes one feel that we are the ones owing money to these official and not the real owners.
Revive Vellayani was one of Swasthi Foundation’s project of pride. A lake that had been abandoned for over eighty years had lain awaiting destruction. That is where we set out to improve. We de weeded it, brought the Indian Navy in to conduct a hydrographic survey, something that had not been done over eighty years since the British left the land. We stepped in cleaned the lake, created a local watch force that would keep an eye on this lake for ever. The media went gaga over it forcing the government to take notice. To gain some foot hold the Government announced taking proactive steps in this realm. The newspapers reported this. We let the machinery have all the relevant details. And ……then nothing. Every bit of work done has been allowed to be wasted and the lake is slipping back to its old neglected state. The KWA that pumps water to a third of the city from the lake has not even cleared a twig or rotten leaf off the lake and the irrigation department the legal entity that owns the lake has literally shrunk the lake to a third of its size.
What do we pay taxes for? To feed these thieves who are squeezing every citizen to fill their greedy palms with soiled currency notes? This is the cause of unrest and even revolutionary moves. The people surely deserve a better deal