Governance
International Anti - Corruption Day
- 09 Dec 2019
- 3 min read
The International Anti-Corruption Day is observed on 9th December every year.
- The United Nations General Assembly on 31st October, 2003, adopted the United Nations Convention against Corruption, and designated December 9 as International Anti-Corruption Day, in order to raise awareness about corruption and of the role of Convention in fighting and preventing it.
- The convention came into force in the year 2005, and since then the day is being observed annually.
- The theme for the year 2019 is, ‘United Against Corruption.’
Corruption
- Corruption may be defined as the abuse of entrusted power for private gain.
- Related Global Data
- Every year $1 trillion is paid in bribes while an estimated $2.6 trillion are stolen annually through corruption – a sum equivalent to more than 5% of the global GDP.
- In developing countries, funds lost to corruption are estimated at 10 times the amount of official development assistance.
- Data Specific To India
- According to the ‘India Corruption Survey 2019’, conducted by independent agencies Transparency International India (TII) and LocalCircles, the percentage of people who had paid bribes fell from 58% in 2018 to 51% in 2019. In 2017, the figure was 45%.
- The survey revealed that people in Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat, West Bengal, Kerala, Goa and Odisha reported low instances of corruption while Rajasthan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Punjab had higher occurrences.
- Also, India was ranked at 78th place out of 180 countries in ‘Corruption Perception Index’ (CPI) released by Transparency International in 2018. India was ranked 81 in 2017 and 79 in 2016.
- Steps Taken by India
- The Central Vigilance Commission though created in 1964, became an independent statutory body only in 2003 by an Act of Parliament. Its mandate is to oversee the vigilance administration and to advise and assist the executive in matters relating to corruption.
- Related Legislations: Right to Information Act, 2005, Prevention of Corruption Act, the Judges (Inquiry) Act, the Lokpal and Lokayukta Act 2013, WhistleBlowers Protection Act 2011, Prevention of Money Laundering Act, Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, etc.
- Ratification of United Nations Convention Against Corruption in 2011.
- Introduction of e-governance and direct benefit scheme.
