New Delhi, Sep 28 (ANI): Stating that India has a constitution whose principles and institutions have served the nation well, President Pratibha Devisingh Patil on Wednesday said 'we are committed to greater transparency and accountability in governance, as also to a policy of "zero tolerance" towards corruption'.
President Patil, who inaugurated the Seventh Regional Conference of the ADB-OECD Anti-Corruption Initiative for Asia and the Pacific Region on 'Building Multidisciplinary Frameworks to Combat Corruption' here, said: "India has an elaborate legal and institutional framework for prevention and combating corruption in public services. We have a well-structured system of recruitment, clear and transparent policies of promotion, and elaborate conduct rules for public officials for ensuring the maintenance of integrity."
"Rules of conduct for public officials provide for submission of reports regarding investments, assets and properties and gifts received. There are also provisions for prevention of conflict of interest through restrictions on private employment of public officials after retirement. Violation of conduct rules attracts disciplinary action against officials," she added.
President Patil said the Central Vigilance Commission, the Central Bureau of Investigation, State anti-corruption agencies, the Directorate of Enforcement, and the Lokayuktas, tackle preventive and punitive aspects of corruption.
"Laws like the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988, the Prevention of Money Laundering Act 2002, the Indian Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code, are in force and form the core of the legal provisions to tackle corruption," said President Patil.
"The judicial process through the structure of civil courts, the High Courts and the apex level Supreme Court, provide an alternate channel of redressal for matters related to corruption. The issue for framing an Ombudsman Law is presently being considered by Parliament, as also the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, 2010," she added.
President Patil further said the 'Extradition Act' and bilateral arrangements for mutual legal assistance are the tools on which we seek to build international co-operation.
"India has ratified the United Nations Convention Against Corruption in May 2011. It has been a significant step and would facilitate the furtherance of efforts to secure effective international co-operation in tackling trans-border corruption. Domestic laws are substantially compliant with the mandatory provisions of the UN Convention, excepting a couple of Articles," said President Patil.
"For this, the necessary Legislative Bill has been introduced in Parliament, which relates to the prevention of bribery of foreign public officials and officials of public international organizations. A process to consider changes in the Indian penal laws, has also been set in motion for criminalizing private sector bribery," she added.
The President said any approach to combating corruption would need to be multifaceted, as the problem itself has a number of dimensions.
"Governments would have to constantly look at and review existing laws, systems and procedures for ensuring their effectiveness. It would require strengthening institutions, removing loopholes, stringently implementing laws and making every institution more transparent in it's functioning. All the stakeholders have to work together in all these initiatives to eradicate the cancer of corruption," she added.
Further quoting Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi that the right national life has to begin with the individual, President Patil said: "I believe that any fight against corruption also requires the need to look at individual behaviour as well as societal norms. Legislation alone would not be enough. It requires education, creation of awareness and moral regeneration to fight corruption."
Asserting that the ADB-OECD initiative on anti-corruption is committed to move forward purposefully in the fight against corruption, President Patil said: "The initiative, indeed, seeks to implement the entire gamut of obligations contained in the legally binding United Nations Convention Against Corruption, extending from the preventive aspects of corruption, to the requirements to ensure effective international co-operation for combating it." (ANI)
|
|
Comments:
