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India’s Ranking in Global Corruption Perception a matter of grave concern

Zafar Bhat. Dated: 2/23/2018 10:51:06 AM

Compiled by Zafar Bhat
Jammu, Feb 22
Categorically, corruption is an issue that adversely affects the country's economy of central, state and local government agencies. Not only has it held the economy back from reaching new heights, but rampant corruption has stunted India's development.
Notably, India has been ranked 81st in the global corruption perception index for 2017, released by Transparency International, which named the country among the “worst offenders” in terms of graft and press freedom in the Asia Pacific region.
Particularly, the index, which ranks 180 countries and territories by their perceived levels of public sector corruption, placed India at 81. In 2016, India was at 79 among 176 countries.
However, the index uses a scale of zero to 100, where zero is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean.
Whereas, India’s score in the latest ranking, however, remained unchanged at 40. In 2015, the score was 38. Transparency International said, “In some countries across the region (Asia Pacific), journalists, activists, opposition leaders and even staff of law enforcement or watchdog agencies are threatened, and in the worst cases, even murdered.”
“Philippines, India and the Maldives are among the worst regional offenders in this respect. These countries score high for corruption and have fewer press freedoms and higher numbers of journalist deaths,” it added.
Pertinently, the talks of a corruption-free India and transparent government have been laid bare in just three years. Farmers are committing suicide as they cannot repay their debts of Rs. 100-Rs.500, but here people have absconded (after swindling) lakhs of crores.