My vision of a corruption free India

"If a country is to be corruption free and become a nation of beautiful minds, I strongly feel there are three key societal members who can make a difference. They are the father, the mother and the teacher." -------- Late Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

It is an obvious and established fact that the human nature is influenced by their surroundings. As the most intelligent group of species we are tempted towards selfishness. We are all greedy and lustful for personal gain, it’s just how we are. This gives rise to “Corruption” – a dishonest and unethical conduct by a person, often to acquire personal benefit.
Corruption impacts the societies in many ways. In the worst cases, it costs lives. It also costs people their freedom, health or money. The cost of corruption can be divided into four main categories: political, economic, social and environmental.
On the political front, corruption is a major obstacle to democracy and the rule of law. In a democratic system, offices and institutions lose their legitimacy when they’re misused for private advantage. This is harmful in established democracies, but even more so in newly emerging ones. It is extremely challenging to develop accountable political leadership in a corrupt climate.
Economically, corruption depletes national wealth. Corrupt politicians invest scarce public resources in projects that will line their pockets rather than benefit communities, and prioritise high-profile projects such as dams, power plants, pipelines and refineries over less spectacular but more urgent infrastructure projects such as schools, hospitals and roads. Corruption also hinders the development of fair market structures and distorts competition, which in turn deters investment.

Corruption corrodes the social fabric of society. It undermines people's trust in the political system, in its institutions and its leadership. A distrustful or apathetic public can then become yet another hurdle to challenging corruption.
Environmental degradation is another consequence of corrupt systems. The lack of, or non-enforcement of, environmental regulations and legislation means that precious natural resources are carelessly exploited, and entire ecological systems are ravaged. From mining, to logging, to carbon offsets, companies across the globe continue to pay bribes in return for unrestricted destruction.
Today, the world views India as one of the fastest growing economies in the world. However, the bitter truth is that it is the most corrupt country in Asia. Several instances prove the scene.
From paying donations to educational institutions, bribes via under-the-table transactions to government officials
a. More than one third of the land and property deals in India involve bribes.
b. Law enforcement officers take bribes.
c. 60% of truck halts are due to extorting money.
d. More than half of the people who got their driving license from an agent haven’t taken the driving exam.
e. About one third of the Members of Parliament have criminal charges pending against them.
f. The infamous Telecom Scandal (2G Spectrum case involving A Raja) involved about $30 billion.
g. About 40% of the food grains actually intended for the poor reaches them.
The effect of corruption on our economy is blatantly evident today.. We face the evil of corruption every day, in the form of donations to educational institutions, bribes to government officials, and It is appalling to see the innumerable scams in our country. The 2G scam, which involved Telecom Minister A Raja giving away unified access service licenses at throw away prices, which cost our country Rs 1.76-lakh crore. Known to be the biggest corporate scam in India, the Satyam Computer Services scam horrified shareholders and investors as it fueled out Rs 14000 crore from the Indian market. The high-rise Adarsh Society was a high-rise scam where apartments were distributed amongst bureaucrats, politicians and army personnel, instead of allotting them through a legitimate auction. Abdul Karim Telgi, of the famous Telgi scam, looted the country of over Rs 20000 crore by printing fake stamp papers with the help of many government officials. But, the hallmark of scams is undoubtedly the Commonwealth Games scam which has caused national shame and has triggered uproar amongst the Indians. In the recent years scams have come out of the box and the pace at which they do doesn’t seem to lessen.
I would like to mention what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said in his famous speech, “Let us begin anew remembering that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate. Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.”
Corruption may or may not be a global phenomenon, but it certainly is a human phenomenon. The answer then must come from the people. They must change. The post-modern India is too materialistic and self-centred to ponder over corruption. Everyone wants to make a fast buck. And with minimum efforts. Some make money in the process and most lose out for their lust and greed. Sensitising people against corruption needs to be looked into. People don’t look down on corruption because they have accepted it as a way of life. Honesty is treated as outdated and not in tune with times. We need to make honesty as the new fashion and the scenario will change. Honesty and integrity are the key to a corruption free society.