PM promises to battle corruption

New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday promised further steps to reduce corruption and ensure transparency in governance.

"We will continue our efforts to bring more transparency and accountability in the work of public servants and to reduce corruption," the prime minister said in his address to the nation on Independence Day.

"But we will also take care that these measures do not result in a situation in which the morale of public functionaries... gets affected because of baseless allegations and unnecessary litigation," he said.

The prime minister said he was committed to making the work of the government and administration transparent and accountable.

"Our commitment to make the work of the government and administration transparent and accountable stands," he said.

He reminded people of his promise last year that anti-corruption steps would be taken and pointed out that the Lok Sabha had cleared the Lokpal and Lokayukta bill.

"We hope that all political parties will help us in passing this bill in the Rajya Sabha," he said.

Stating a number of other bills have been presented in the Parliament, the prime minister said the cabinet had cleared a Public Procurement Bill, which aims to make government procurement processes more transparent.