Question : Corruption Perception Index

(a) whether widespread corruption in the country is an impediment in development and improving social conditions;

(b) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereto;

(c) whether India is ranked at 79th place in the list of 176 countries in the Transparency International Corruption Index 2016;

(d) if so, the details thereof along with the India’s rank in its report during the last three years; and

(e) the measures taken by the Government to remove the corruption from public offices and the action taken against the corrupt public servants?

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) & (b): Being aware that corruption is an impediment in development and improving social conditions, the Government has been constantly endeavoring to prevent corruption through various measures.
(c) & (d): As per information available on the website of Transparency International, it is understood that India has ranked 79th out of 176 countries in the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index 2016 rankings, with a score of 40. India’s ranking for the last three years is as follows -
Year Rank
2013 94 / 177
2014 85 / 175
2015 76 / 167

(e): The Central Government is fully alive and committed to implement its policy of “Zero Tolerance against Corruption” and has already taken several measures to combat corruption and improve the functioning of the Government. These, inter alia include:
(i) RTI Online Portal (https://rtionline.gov.in), launched in August, 2013 by D/o Personnel and Training has 1840 Central Public Authorities aligned to it as on 17.03.2016 making it convenient for citizens to file RTI requests and First Appeals on-line.

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(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 simplification 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.

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