Gujral's graft-busting unit wins faint praise
Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral's proposal to set up a special anti-corruption cell has been greeted with scepticism in official circles.
Home Ministry officials said the Prime Minister's office already received about 4,000 corruption complaints daily, which are then passed on to various agencies for investigation, and wondered how a new cell could be effective where the existing framework had been found wanting.
'The cell can only be effective if it has overriding powers, but that is bound to demoralise other agencies,' said a Home Ministry official.
Corruption in public life has become a major issue in India and dominated the speeches of Mr Gujral and President R. K. Narayanan on the country's 50th independence day anniversary celebrations last week.
A 'national bribe index' published recently in the weekly magazine Outlook detailed the amounts that have to be paid for a birth certificate, for admission into school and college and to employment exchange officials.
There are bribes for policemen, magistrates, parliamentary questions, bank loans, ration cards, passports, marriage and driving licences, electricity and water connections and admittance to hospital. The beat constable is paid off by courting couples and the crematorium attendant is bribed for a supply of wood.
