Comments on: Corruption: A License To Kill

By: Neeraj

Neeraj — Thu, 21 Jun 2007 03:30:28 +0000

Corruption is everywhere, even in countries like Canada and Japan. However, corruption in the West does not affect the common man like it does in India. Unfortunately, it affects the poor more than anyone else.

By: elkay stainless sink

elkay stainless sink — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 09:40:14 +0000

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By: Apun Ka Desh

Apun Ka Desh — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 14:20:20 +0000

Corruption is rampant and practices openy in several crucial government departments across India.

Try to register your property. You will meet many palms you are expected to grease, OR ELSE!!
Try to get your passport thru the police verification step, it is common knowledge, what happens. OR ELSE !!

It’s such a shame.

By: DesiPundit » Archives » Corruption: A License To Kill

DesiPundit » Archives » Corruption: A License To Kill — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 19:00:43 +0000

[…] g concrete at stake, the licensing officers will thus be careful while giving out licenses. Responding to an article by Joel Waldfogel at Slate, Amit over at The Indian Eco […]

By: sri

sri — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 18:14:13 +0000

I hit the Submit button too sooon.
Previous post contd….

Corruption at lower end (people with lower per capita income bracket) can be solved to some extent with better wages. Corruption at higher end (people with higher per capita income bracket) can be solved with fool proof system and IT combined.

Again zero tolerance for corruption is impossible to implement.
Even in United States, bribing/courruption occurs at the very top.
–sri

By: sri

sri — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 18:09:59 +0000

Chandra,
I am not saying or even intended to mean that corruption is done by people with lower wages only. If i did, then please read it as “some percentage of total corruption is done by people with lower wages”.

When iam suggesting solutions, i am breaking the problem into smaller categories and attacking each one of them with a different solution.
IT, fear, proper wages are all different approaches to solve this menace.
thanks

By: Chandra

Chandra — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 16:48:04 +0000

“Most of the people at lower levels are not receiving proper wages. In order to support their families and maintain a proper living standard, these employees are taking bribes.
Low wages are a direct result of many of us not paying taxes to government.”

I hope you are kidding, Sri. If you still believe bribes are demanded because of need (to maintain that elusive proper living standard), I doubt you have any experience with corruption. In fact the opposite is probably true - the larger the money involved, high the seniority of a bureaucrat or politician (who is already in top percentile per capita income bracket), higher the bribe. Corruption exists because it can, not because it needs to.

By: Yuvi

Yuvi — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 16:02:15 +0000

Ahem…. Just a thought…. What if those points “mysteriously” “disappear” overnight after a visit to a “superior”’s resident ?:D

By: sri

sri — Tue, 27 Jun 2006 11:39:45 +0000

Chandra,
“No amount of IT based process engineering will change these practices.”
Are you looking at one sultion for solving corruption puzzle?
IT can only solve few issues. Over all there will have to be multiple approaches to this menace.
If economy improves, average income of an individual increases automatically bribes at places like Hospitals, Schools, government offices decreases.

Taking bribe is a second source of income for many. Let me explain.
Most of the people at lower levels are not receiving proper wages. In order to support their families and maintain a proper living standard, these employees are taking bribes.
Low wages are a direct result of many of us not paying taxes to government.

So, implementing IT, paying our due taxes and Government doing its job of utilizing financial resources properly will result in cutting down the corruption levels.
When average income rises, people who take bribes now may be hesitant to ask bribes in future. So, this may dicourage few in seeking bribes.
Again, this is just an opinion.
–sri

By: Chandra

Chandra — Mon, 26 Jun 2006 19:22:49 +0000

Little Ram, I am not sure how clearly advertised rates for walking into the temple, put in place to reduce the long lines outside TTD while capturing fees from those who can afford, is corruption.

I think corruption blossoms from the culture of expediency and non-accountability. Expediency because we want stuff done now instead of following rules - bribing a police officer instead of wearing that helmet. Non-accountability because no one can stop a nurse from asking payment from a poor mother to release the new born baby from a government hospital because she shares the money with doctors. No amount of IT based process engineering will change these practices.

Only active legal punishment can impose high cost on demanding bribe. But the practice is so wide spread with any interface with government.