Be tough on bribery: Group of 14

Draft Lokpal Bill unlikely to have significant impact on day-to-day corruption.

To make reforms have a perceptible and positive impact on people,a group of 14 eminent persons that includes top industrialists,jurists and economists,has called for an urgent overhauling of laws relating to land,a transparent online auction process for allocation of natural resources and tough action against bribery that extends culpability to the highest levels in an accused corporation.

On January 17,the same group comprising Deepak Parekh,N Vaghul,Bimal Jalan,Anu Agha and Azim Premji among others,had released its first open letter focusing on the growing governance deficit in the country,galloping corruption,environmental challenges and the need to distinguish between dissent and disruption. Todays letter follows up on the tone set by the group almost nine months ago.

While the group supports the need for passage of a well-crafted Lokpal Bill,it stresses in the same breath that national challenges cannot be solved by urban protests. Indias focus must remain steadfast on economic reforms and growth to reduce poverty and ensure adequate job creation,it said. We endorse the Prime Ministers statement that economic progress must not be hijacked by internal dissensions, the second letter said.

In what was hampering economic growth,the letter pointed to the impasse on environmental clearances that were delaying several investment proposals. It supported the need for protecting the environmental,but also noted that policy uncertainties and delays in approvals were forcing many large corporate entities to seek out opportunities in other geographies.

The letter also said a transparent auction process for natural resources would prevent discretionary and irregular practices.

According to the group,the draft Lokpal Bill was unlikely to have any significant impact on the day-to-day corruption,which was insidious and demeaning. Almost every interface of the common man with public officials is impaired by corruption,especially in the most routine transactions,such as the grant of pattas,issuing of birth and death certificates,utility connections and availing of entitlements, the letter said.

It acknowledged that a strong nexus existed between certain corporates,politicians,bureaucrats and power brokers,and termed it as one of the greatest threats for the Indian economy. Though it did not specifically recommend that the government should enact a legislation to tackle bribery,it referred to the United Kingdoms Bribery Act,2010 that makes it illegal to offer,receive and fail in preventing bribery.

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Only if timely and punitive action is taken against both the giver and receiver of bribe will the fight against ground-level corruption be won effectively, it said.

Land,judicial,electoral and police reforms are most urgently needed, it said,but added that legislative reforms must be constructively and constitutionally debated in a time-bound and orderly manner and not in uncivil and hostile environments. Disruption,both in Parliament and outside is socially debilitating and erodes public confidence, the group said.

Letter to the leaders

Policy uncertainties and delays in approvals are forcing many large corporate entities to seek out opportunities in other geographies

We support the need for environmental protection,but it should be recognised that there is an impasse on clearances,delaying investment proposals

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Land,judicial,electoral and police reforms are urgently needed. Disruption,in Parliament and outside,is socially debilitating and erodes public confidence

Strong nexus exists between certain corporates,politicians,bureaucrats and power brokers. This is one of the greatest threats to the Indian economy

Only if timely and punitive action is taken against both the giver and receiver of bribe will the fight against ground-level corruption be won effectively