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Corruption negating economic growth in South Asia: Transparency International

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  • Corruption negating economic growth in South Asia: Transparency International

    KATHMANDU: South Asia is the world's most corrupt region and rampant corruption is preventing its people from breaking the barrier of poverty despite the fact that the subcontinent has attained strong economic growth over the past several years, a global anti-graft watchdog said here today.

    "South Asia now is the worst region in the world when it comes to corruption based on our studies," said Srirak Pilpat, Asia Pacific director at Transparency International (TI), while releasing a report titled 'Fighting Corruption in South Asia: Building Accountability'.

    "How does a region with such strong economic growth still have such high levels of poverty? It is corruption, which allows the few to profit without answering for their actions," said Pilpat.

    "As long as nobody brings the corrupt to justice, South Asia's leaders run the risk that future growth only benefits the powerful, doing nothing to help the half billion South Asians, who still live in poverty," he pointed out.

    Governments in corruption-stricken South Asia must allow anti-graft agencies to investigate and prosecute corruption independently, TI said in the first comprehensive study on transparency and corruption prevention in the region.

    The TI report analysed how well 70 national institutions in Bangladesh, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka stop corruption.

    In South Asian countries, government and people who want to expose and investigate corruption face legal barriers, political opposition and harassment that allow bribery, secret dealings and the abuse of power to go unchecked, the report warned.

    According to TI, Nepal improved from 139th position in 2012 to 116th in 2013 out of 177 countries surveyed in the Corruption Perception Index (CPI) made public today.

    Despite economic growth averaging 6 per cent a year over the past two decades in the sub-continent, 31 per cent of people live on less than $1.25 a day, according to a World Bank report.

    "Corruption in public bodies that should provide basic services to the poor means that economic growth is only enjoyed by the few," points out the report.

    In Nepal, corruption in government organisations remained uncontrolled due to political interference, the TI Nepal chapter said.

    "Governments will find transparency is the best investment they will ever make. Ordinary people can ensure their communities are served by governments, whistleblowers can save billions by exposing fraud," remarked Pilpat.

    According to the TI report, 90 per cent of Nepalese believe that political parties are corrupt or extremely corrupt and 85 per cent consider public officials and public servants to be corrupt or extremely corrupt.

    Interestingly, 72 per cent believe that corruption in the country has increased over last two years.

    EconomicTimes
    Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

  • #2
    Indian posters, please discuss the topic. Do not troll and make it a BJP/Modi idol worshiping thread.
    Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

    Comment


    • #3
      South Asia is the world's most corrupt region and rampant corruption is preventing its people from breaking the barrier of poverty despite the fact that the subcontinent has attained strong economic growth over the past several years, a global anti-graft watchdog said here today.
      The concluded elections cost up to $5 billion.

      Where do you think the money came from.

      could it be that what is popularly referred to as 'corruption' is actually the way we fund our democracy.

      if 'corruption' has risen of late, is it possible that it is becoming more expensive to win an election.
      Last edited by Double Edge; 21 May 14,, 22:58.

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      • #4
        DE,

        Elections are to be paid trough taxes. I believe they are paid that way, not with the bribe politicos got.
        No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

        To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

        Comment


        • #5
          The money they can legally use for elections is no where near what it really costs to run a successful campaign. So there is the legal amount and the unaccounted part. The latter is what i'm referring to.

          The legal limit is set low so everybody can take part otherwise only the well heeled will be able to do it. In many ways that's how its turning out to be but the govt isn't assisting the process.

          if you want to solve this corruption problem then we need to find alternative ways to fund elections that are in line with actual costs.
          Last edited by Double Edge; 21 May 14,, 23:08.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by Oracle View Post
            Indian posters, please discuss the topic. Do not troll and make it a BJP/Modi idol worshiping thread.
            What does a Nepal-centric article from Kathmandu have to do with India (or Indian posters) in the first place?

            Are you a recently traumatized chicken little running around fearing the sky is going to fall on your head here?

            Talk about paraanoia.

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by Double Edge View Post
              The money they can legally use for elections is no where near what it really costs to run a successful campaign. So there is the legal amount and the unaccounted part. The latter is what i'm referring to.

              The legal limit is set low so everybody can take part otherwise only the well heeled will be able to do it. In many ways that's how its turning out to be but the govt isn't assisting the process.

              if you want to solve this corruption problem then we need to find alternative ways to fund elections that are in line with actual costs.
              DE,

              $5bn sounds legit amount for organizing elections for 800mn people on a vast territory like India. Here they cost $4-6 per capita.

              If you said the parties campaign costed that much, then I see your point. How much they get back per received vote?
              No such thing as a good tax - Churchill

              To make mistakes is human. To blame someone else for your mistake, is strategic.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by sated buddha View Post
                What does a Nepal-centric article from Kathmandu have to do with India (or Indian posters) in the first place?

                Are you a recently traumatized chicken little running around fearing the sky is going to fall on your head here?

                Talk about paraanoia.
                As expected.

                Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                DE,

                $5bn sounds legit amount for organizing elections for 800mn people on a vast territory like India. Here they cost $4-6 per capita.

                If you said the parties campaign costed that much, then I see your point. How much they get back per received vote?
                DE, probably has better figures. Look at this way - an MP gets 5 crores/year as development funds. In 5 years that is 25 crores. Then there are various projects under an MP, that has a signing (bribe) amount. The quickest way to riches in SE Asia is to become a politician. Most of these black money goes to party funds.
                Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                  DE,

                  Elections are to be paid trough taxes. I believe they are paid that way, not with the bribe politicos got.
                  Dok, the bribe money is used to buy votes. BJP candidate in my constituency paid Rs. 5K per vote. Yes, and he won that seat.
                  Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Oracle View Post
                    Dok, the bribe money is used to buy votes. BJP candidate in my constituency paid Rs. 5K per vote. Yes, and he won that seat.
                    You forgot the dancing girls and year's supply of single malt that was thrown in to sweeten the deal.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Oracle View Post
                      As expected.



                      DE, probably has better figures. Look at this way - an MP gets 5 crores/year as development funds. In 5 years that is 25 crores. Then there are various projects under an MP, that has a signing (bribe) amount. The quickest way to riches in SE Asia is to become a politician. Most of these black money goes to party funds.
                      I don;t see why Legislators should be given money for development in the first place. Of course, many MPs/ MLA use that to do small infra projects that cause more harm than good.

                      In my parents constituency, I have seen this money being used to fund hearses to take the dead to the ghat, and roadside water taps, which are then used by the locals to bathe and wash clothes. It eliminates the hassle of actually providing water in the homes.
                      "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?" ~ Epicurus

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by sated buddha View Post
                        You forgot the dancing girls and year's supply of single malt that was thrown in to sweeten the deal.
                        Wow! I didn't knew about that. Thank you for sharing this information on how low some of the BJP politicians can get.

                        Originally posted by antimony View Post
                        I don;t see why Legislators should be given money for development in the first place. Of course, many MPs/ MLA use that to do small infra projects that cause more harm than good.

                        In my parents constituency, I have seen this money being used to fund hearses to take the dead to the ghat, and roadside water taps, which are then used by the locals to bathe and wash clothes. It eliminates the hassle of actually providing water in the homes.
                        I agree. But then what is the solution? Who should money be given to? All in all, it is more of an accountability issue.

                        A small story. The year I graduated, a local guy asked me if I can provide him a xerox copy of my degree certificate. He was willing to pay 20K. So you know, fresh outta college, and joining time of the Company some months away, greed overtook my honest intentions. I talked to my Dad, and got to know that the guy got some projects worth crores under PMGSY (Prime Minister's Gram Sadak Yojana). And he advised me not to be greedy as if and when there is a central audit, I might get in trouble. I thank my luck stars for the good decision I made. And yeah, the roads are on paper, not on the ground.

                        Gram - Village; Sadak - Road; Yojana - Policy.
                        Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Oracle View Post
                          Wow! I didn't knew about that. Thank you for sharing this information on how low some of the BJP politicians can get.
                          Oh come on, don't act innocent man. You voted BJP. Where do you have the girls stashed away?

                          I agree. But then what is the solution? Who should money be given to? All in all, it is more of an accountability issue.

                          A small story. The year I graduated, a local guy asked me if I can provide him a xerox copy of my degree certificate. He was willing to pay 20K. So you know, fresh outta college, and joining time of the Company some months away, greed overtook my honest intentions. I talked to my Dad, and got to know that the guy got some projects worth crores under PMGSY (Prime Minister's Gram Sadak Yojana). And he advised me not to be greedy as if and when there is a central audit, I might get in trouble. I thank my luck stars for the good decision I made. And yeah, the roads are on paper, not on the ground.

                          Gram - Village; Sadak - Road; Yojana - Policy.
                          Your dad was right. There is no free lunch in this world. There is no substitute to hard work. And one cannot put a price to a good night's sleep.

                          Road contracts, like coal and slag and sand, are not for everybody. Those like you (and me and most of us here) would be chewed and spat out like paan pichkari (beetle nut juice).

                          Hope you wisened up, learned your lesson, and in turn would pass it along.
                          Last edited by sated buddha; 22 May 14,, 08:24.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Doktor View Post
                            DE,

                            $5bn sounds legit amount for organizing elections for 800mn people on a vast territory like India. Here they cost $4-6 per capita.

                            If you said the parties campaign costed that much, then I see your point. How much they get back per received vote?
                            It does not stop with national elections. Then there are state elections for 29 states.

                            Up to 1971 state elections and nationals ran roughly the same year, but Indira staggered things after. So earlier money spent by parties would go towards both. Now state elections for most states will not fall at the same time as a national.

                            And finally there are the panchayat (village council) elections for the 500k villages dotted around the country. Starts to add up.

                            If its any reason that democracies are a 20th century phenomenon its because they are not cheap and take resources to sustain.

                            Legal amounts acceptable to run as a MLA for state is around 28 lakhs and for parliament its double that. It will be difficult to win a state election with less than 2 crores (9 times the legal amount). A lot of the money taken under the table gets circulated back into the economy. Of course politicians and their families do well for themselves so long as they can win elections.

                            Originally posted by Oracle View Post
                            Dok, the bribe money is used to buy votes. BJP candidate in my constituency paid Rs. 5K per vote. Yes, and he won that seat.
                            That's a trivial case. Consider corporates that expect windfall profits in exchange to fund a campaign. In the west corporate lobbying is legal, the result is a handful of parties that have a chance at acually winning an election so the choice gets considerably reduced.

                            I don't think that will work in countries with very diverse backgrounds. Not yet anyway. Regional parties may have taken a drubbing in this year's nationals but they are down not out.

                            Politicians with criminal cases stacked against them are self funding candidates and the public actually goes for them because they are considered as more charismatic and might actually get the job done.

                            Take the 2G 'scam'. Govt sells of spectrum for cheap which means cheaper airtime for us right ? No! what a stink was created, licenses were cancelled and had to be acquired again.

                            I don't buy the premise of the opening article, that so called corruption is affecting us. What affects economic growth is the inability to enact clear policy. Nobody wants to invest in an uncertain climate. Where what is said today may change tomorrow. Reducing barriers of entry for business. Making it easier.
                            Last edited by Double Edge; 22 May 14,, 09:39.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Double Edge View Post
                              I don't buy the premise of the opening article, that so called corruption is affecting us. What affects economic growth is the inability to enact clear policy. Nobody wants to invest in an uncertain climate. Where what is said today may change tomorrow. Reducing barriers of entry for business. Making it easier.
                              Interesting POV. I agree that when the economy is on an upswing, hardly anyone talks about corruption.
                              Politicians are elected to serve...far too many don't see it that way - Albany Rifles! || Loyalty to country always. Loyalty to government, when it deserves it - Mark Twain! || I am a far left millennial!

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