Corruption

The Prime Minister asked anti-corruption officials to
aggressively pursue "high level corruption" and change the
perception that "big fish" escape punishment.

"High-level corruption should be pursued aggressively.
There is a pervasive feeling that while petty cases get
tackled quickly, the big fish escape punishment. This has to
change," he said.

The Prime Minister said while quick investigation was
important and necessary, it was not sufficient to bring the
guilty to book.

"Trials should be conducted expeditiously and judgements
delivered quickly. To begin with the aim should be to conclude
the trial in two years so that punishment could be given to
offenders within a period of three years or so," he said.

Singh said the government has recently decided to set up
71 new CBI courts and expected them to function as model
courts, hold day-to-day proceedings and avoid unnecessary
adjournments.

The Prime Minister said there is a constant refrain in
public discourse that much of what the government provides
never reaches the intended beneficiaries -- whether it is
subsidised food grains for the poor, loans, fertilisers or
seeds on concessional terms for small and marginal farmers or
the benefit of employment programmes for the unemployed.

"This should be a matter of serious concern for all of us
collectively," he said. PTI