Lok Sabha Question No. 4573 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-29
Subject: Zero Tolerance Policy
Ministry: PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
Asked by: J. JAYASINGH THIYAGARAJ NATTERJEE, RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY, THOKCHOM MEINYA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS (DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL & TRAINING)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4573

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 29.03.2017)

## ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY

## 4573. SHRI J.J.T. NATTERJEE:

SHRI RAM TAHAL CHOUDHARY:

DR. THOKCHOM MEINYA:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  adopted  zero  tolerance  policy  against  corruption  and bribery;
- (b) if  so,  the  number of corrupt officers  identified under the said policy during the last three years, department-wise;
- (c) the details of the action taken against the said corrupt officers under the said policy;
- (d) whether according to a recent survey released by the Transparency International (TI), the  country  had  highest  bribery  rate  among  the  16  Asia-Pacific  countries  surveyed; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office. (DR. JITENDRA SINGH)

(a):  The Central Government is fully alive and committed to implement its policy of 'Zero Tolerance  against  Corruption'  and  has  taken  several  measures  to  combat  corruption  and improve the functioning of the Government. These inter alia include:

- I. To increase transparency in government and effectiveness of RTI Act, an Online RTI web Portal ( https://rtionline.gov.in ), launched in August, 2013 by D/o Personnel and Training  has  1847  Central  Public  Authorities  aligned  to  it  making  it  convenient  for citizens to file RTI requests and First Appeals on-line;
- II. Issue of Instructions  by the CVC asking the organizations to adopt Integrity Pact in major  procurement  activities;  State  Governments  have  also  been  advised  to  adopt Integrity Pact in major procurements;
- III. Ratification of the United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) in 2011;
- IV. Placing  of  details  of  immovable  property  returns  of  all  Members  of  the  All  India Services  and  other  Group  'A'  officers  of  the  Central  Government  in  the  public domain;
- V. Setting up of additional Special Courts exclusively for trial of CBI cases in different states;
- VI. Introduction of e-governance and simplifications of procedure and systems;
- VII. Disbursement of welfare benefits directly to the citizens under various schemes of the Government in a transparent manner through Direct Benefit Transfer initiative.

(b) & (c): As per information provided by the Central Vigilance Commission, the total number of major penalties, minor penalties and administrative actions imposed on officials of the Central Government/PSUs/Autonomous Bodies, Local Authorities etc. falling under the Commission's jurisdiction during the last three years are as given in Annexure-I.

(d)  &  (e): The key  findings  in  the  report  of  Transparency  International  on  corruption  in Asia-Pacific region are, inter-alia, as follows:

- (i) People  in  India  were  most  positive  about  their  governments'  efforts  in  fighting corruption, with 53% saying that Government is doing well to tackle corruption.
- (ii) Only 41% respondents in India think that the level of corruption has increased. This is substantially  lower  than  countries  like  China  (73%),  Indonesia  (65%),  Malaysia (59%), Vietnam (56%), South Korea (50%) and Hong Kong(46%).
- (iii) In  the  Asia-Pacific  region,  police  forces  are  perceived  to  have  the  highest  level  of corruption of all the public services accessed by the people.
- (iv) 69% of those respondents  in India, who had come  into contact with six key public services in previous 12 months like public schools, public clinics or hospitals, official documents, utility services, the police and the courts, had either paid a bribe, given a gift or done a favor in order to receive the services.

It  is  pertinent  to  mention  that  the  survey  by  Transparency  International  was  not conducted at the behest of the Central Government.

*****

| Year   | Punishments awarded**   | Punishments awarded**   | Punishments awarded**   | Punishments awarded**   |
|--------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|-------------------------|
|        | Major penalty           | Minor penalty           | Administrative Action   | Total                   |
| 2014   | 863                     | 838                     | 443                     | 2144                    |
| 2015   | 1832                    | 1346                    | 414                     | 3592                    |
| 2016   | 1904                    | 1034                    | 358                     | 3296                    |

**Action taken by the Departments in which information was reported to the Commission during    2014,  2015  and  2016.  These  would  include  action  taken  on  advice  tendered during the previous years too .

## Prosecutions Sanctioned by the Departments

|   Year |   Prosecution sanctioned (number of officers) |
|--------|-----------------------------------------------|
|   2014 |                                           133 |
|   2015 |                                           132 |
|   2016 |                                           154 |