Will tackle corruption frontally: Govt

New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) With its image dented by a rash
of scams, the Indian government Monday pledged to address
"frontally" the concern over "lack of probity and integrity"
in public life and vowed to bring back black money stashed
abroad.
Committing itself to improving the quality of governance
and enhancing transparency, it promised to eliminate
corruption in public life through a series of steps besides
electoral reforms and ensuring accountability in judiciary.
The government promises were contained in the address by
Indian President Pratibha Patil to the joint sitting of
Parliament, which marks the commencement of the Budget
Session.
In her 50-minute speech, Patil also expressed serious
concern over inflation and said the government's "foremost
priorities" in the coming financial year would be to combat it
and protect the common man from the impact of rising food
prices.
The other priorities of the government would be to
sustain the momentum of inclusive economic growth, maintain an
"uncompromising vigil" on internal and external secrurity
fronts and to pursue a foreign policy which will protect
India's interest in the global fora.
Against the backdrop of a series of scams that has hit
the government, the President said, "Our citizens deserve good
governance; it is their entitlement and our obligation.
"My government stands committed to improving the quality
of governance and enhancing transparency, probity and
integrity in public life."
Outlining five "foremost" priorities of the government,
the President said it will it will "address frontally the
concern regarding lack of probity and integrity in public
life."
She noted that a Group of Ministers (GoM) was considering
all measures, including legislative and administrative, to
tackle corruption and improve transparency.
The Group will consider issues relating to the
formulation of a public procurement policy and enunciation of
public procurement standards, review and abolition of
discretionary powers enjoyed by ministers.
Introduction of open and comptetive system of exploiting
the natural resources, fast-tracking of cases against public
servants charged with corruption and amendments to laws for
quicker action agaisnt them is also part of terms of reference
of the GoM.
The report of the Group, which will also consider
state-funding of elections, is expected soon.
Touching upon the raging controversy of black money
stashed abroad in secret accounts, the President said issue
has attracted a lot of attention in the recent past.
"My government will spare no effort in bringing back to
India what belongs to it and bring the guilty to book," she
asserted.
Patil said the government "fully shares the concern about
the ill-effects of black money whether generated by evasion of
taxes on income earned legitimately or through illegal
activities.
"My government stands committed to tackling the menace
frontally. It requires diligent, sustained effort by all law
enforcement agencies, including those of state governments,"
she said.
The President said the government has taken many steps
to strengthen the legal framework, build new institutions and
improve capacity to tackle this problem.
A multi-disciplinary study has been commissioned to go
into its ramifications for national security and recommend a
suitable framework to tackle it.
The government is also working closely with the
international community, especially through the G-20, to
expedite the process of identification and recovery of such
money, she said.
Pointing out that India is now a member of the Financial
Action Task Force in recognition of its anti-money laundering
and anti-tax evasion measures, she said India has also gained
membership of the Eurasian group and the Task Force on
Financial Integrity and Economic Development.
"My government has taken steps to facilitate exchange of
information for tax purposes with such countries and entities
where Indian citizens have parked their money.
"The early results have been encouraging. These steps
have led to additional collection of taxes of Rs 34,601 crore
and detection of additional income of Rs 48,784 crore," Patil
said.
Referring to the internal security situation, the
President said the country has "gone through a difficult year"
as certain parts of the country suffered from "unacceptably
high levels of violence", especially areas affected by
Left-wing extremism and Kashmir valley.
However, in the rest of the country, she said, except
for two incidents of terror in Pune and Varanasi, the internal
security scenario has been largely under control.
The increase in police forces, with emphasis on
recruitment from areas affected by Left-wing extremism, has
begun to show results, she said.
The government has recently approved an integrated
action plan for 60 selected tribal and backward districts in
nine states in order to address the felt needs of the local
population, Patil said.
She said that the situation in the north Indian state
of Jammu and Kashmir has improved with a number of pro-active
measures taken by the central and state governments and
interlocutors have been engaged fruitfully in their
endeavours.
With regard to the North East, she said intensive
engagement with various groups has largely reduced violence in
those states.
On electoral reforms, the President said she was sure
that all parties across the political spectrum supported the
need for bringing about such reforms.
"I am happy to share with the honourable members that my
government has constituted a committee on electoral reforms to
fast-track the process," she said, adding that the committee
has held regional conferences which will culminate in a
national conference in April this year.
"It is expected that this process of consultation would
lead to an acceptable agenda of reforms," she said.
About judiciary, Patil said the government attached high
priority to improving the delivery of justice and reducing
delays in the disposal of cases.
The details of the National Mission for Delivery of
Justice and Legal Reforms are expected to be finalised soon,
she said, adding this should result "re-engineering" of
procedures, improving of human resources and leveraging of
information technology.
"The Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, already
introduced in Parliament, is intended to enhance the
accountability of the judiciary, thereby improving its image
and efficiency," she said.
Talking about the controversial Women's Reservation Bill
that provides for 33 per cent reservation to women in Lok
Sabha and Assemblies, Patil sincerely hoped that it will be
considered by the lower house of Indian Parliament, Lok Sabha
at the earliest. The Bill has already been passed by the
upper house of Indian Parliament, Rajya Sabha.
She said the government also proposes to introduce a
bill regarding protection of children from sexual offences.
Touching upon the foreign policy, the President said
India seeks a peaceful resolution of issues with Pakistan
through a "meaningful dialogue" so long as it does not allow
its soil to be used for terrorist activities against India.
Maintaining that India has an abiding interest in peace,
stability and development of countries in its extended
neighbourhood, she referred to the "momentous events" in Egypt
and said that "as a democracy ourselves, we welcome the dawn
of democracy elsewhere."