Lok Sabha Question No. 2727 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-04
Subject: Eradication of Corruption
Ministry: PERSONNEL, PUBLIC GRIEVANCES AND PENSIONS
Asked by: Nama Nageswara Rao

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2727

(TO BE ANSWERED ON 04.12.2019)

## ERADICATION OF CORRUPTION

## 2727. SHRI NAMA NAGESWARA RAO:

Will the PRIME MINISTER be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  major  changes  have  been  brought  about  in  the  last  three  years  to  empower people to fight graft and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  any  changes  have  been  made  in  the  last  three  years  to  improve  probity  and accountability in Government institutions to eradicate corruption;
- (c) if so, the details thereof;
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) the efforts made by the Ministry to help people to ensure access to relevant information from the Government departments and Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs)?

## 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) to (c):  Yes Sir, Government of India is committed to ' Zero Tolerance against Corruption ' and has taken several measures to combat corruption and improve probity and accountability of Government institutions. The steps taken by the Central Government, inter alia, include:-

- I.     Systemic improvements and reforms to provide transparent citizen-friendly services and reduce corruption. These, inter alia, include:
- a) Disbursement of welfare benefits directly to the citizens under various schemes of the  Government  in  a  transparent  manner  through  the  Direct  Benefit  Transfer initiative.
- b) Implementation of E-tendering in public procurements.
- c) Introduction of e-Governance and simplification of procedure and systems
- d) Introduction  of  Government  procurement  through  the  Government  e-Marketplace (GeM).
- e) An  online  'Probity  Portal'  operationalized  since  2017  under  which  various Ministries/Departments,  autonomous  organizations  and  public  sector  banks  etc. enter information regarding review under FR  56(j), cases for sanction for prosecution, implementation of rotational transfer policy and disciplinary proceedings etc.
- II.     Discontinuation of interviews in recruitment of Group 'B' (Non-Gazetted) and Group 'C' posts in Government of India.

- III.    Invocation of FR-56(j) and AIS (DCRB) Rules, 1958 for prematurely retiring officials whose performance has been reviewed and found unsatisfactory.
- IV.      The  All  India  Services  (Disciplinary  and  Appeal)  Rules  and  Central  Civil  Services (Classification,  Control  and  Appeal)  Rules  have  been  amended  to  provide  strict timelines in the procedure related to disciplinary proceedings.
- V.    The Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 has been amended on 26.07.2018 to bring a paradigm  shift  in  tackling  corruption  in  as  much  as  clearly  criminalizing  the  act  of giving bribe, checking big ticket corruption by creating a vicarious liability in respect of senior management of commercial organizations where the act of giving of bribe is with their consent or connivance.
- VI.    Issue  of  instructions  by  the  Central  Vigilance  Commission  (CVC)  asking  the organizations  to  adopt  Integrity  Pact  in  major  procurement  activities  and  to  ensure effective and expeditious investigation wherever any irregularity/misconduct is noticed.
- VII.  The institution of  Lokpal has been operationalised by appointment of a Chairperson and eight Members, including four judicial Members. Lokpal is statutorily mandated to directly receive and independently process complaints as regards alleged offences against public servants under the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.

In addition, the CVC, as an apex integrity institution, has adopted a multi-pronged strategy and  approach  to  combat  corruption,  which  encompasses  punitive,  preventive  and  participative vigilance.

(d):    Does not arise.

(e):    This  Ministry  has  taken  several  measures  to  help  people  to  ensure  access  to  relevant information. These, inter alia, include:

- I.      Enactment of Right to Information (RTI) Act, 2005 to set out practical regime of right of information for citizens to secure access to information under the control of Public Authorities.
- II.     Launching of a web portal namely RTI online with URL www.rtionline.gov.in for all Central  Ministries/  Departments/CPSUs  for  making  it  convenient  for  citizens  to  file RTI requests and first appeals online.
- III.     Guidelines Issued on suo moto disclosure of information by Public Authorities.
- IV.      Providing  funds  to  various  State  Governments  for  establishing  helpline  in  order  to facilitate obtaining of the information by the RTI applicants. Funds are also provided each year to various State Administrative Training Institutes (ATIs) by the Government to generate awareness among the citizens through measures like Distance learning programmes and Online Certificate Course in regional languages, publishing of handbooks on RTI and distribution of the same among the public.

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