Addressing the opening session of a three-day international conference of the Central Bureau of Investigation here on Monday on the theme "evolving common strategies to combat corruption and crime", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said the economic reforms of the 1990s had been followed by periods of fast economic growth, which had ushered rapid changes for the country.
However, Dr. Singh said, that while this process of change would continue in the future because of quick advances in technology and a breaking down of geographical boundaries, there was a need to be aware that this growing exchange of people, ideas, goods, services, capital and data, would also throw up new areas of crime and corruption, and also would add to the complexity of existing crimes.
Dr. Singh said the solution to countering both crime and corruption at all and any level lay in the introduction of even more reforms and better regulation.
Expressing hope about the international conference helping participants to enhance their understanding of transnational crimes and corruption, the Prime Minister said: "To keep pace with the aspirations of the people for clean and transparent governance, and also deal with the increasing complexity of economic offences, our government has taken several legal and administrative measures in the last nine years."
"I would only mention a few like the Right to Information Act, initiatives to enact the Lokpal and the Lokayuktas Act and to amend the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, the Public Services Delivery Bill, and administrative steps to reduce discretionary powers of public servants and ensure expeditious disposal of disciplinary proceedings," Dr. Singh said.
"The point I wish to make here is, that we now have a framework in place to curb corruption and increase transparency and accountability in administration. I hope, that in the times to come, we will be able to make effective use of this framework," he added.
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"In the public debate on corruption in our country, it is sometimes forgotten that economic growth also implies greater opportunity for corruption. It is important that we look at the issue of corruption in the correct perspective. While we must maintain utmost vigilance in preventing corruption, and do our utmost in ensuring transparency, accountability and probity in public life, it is also important to ensure that the work of nation building goes on at a quick pace," Dr. Singh said.
"I think our public debate needs to concentrate a little more on what it would take to make our progress even faster. I think it needs to concentrate more on how to improve infrastructure, how to improve the delivery of services and how to build institutions. It also needs to concentrate more on the achievements that we can legitimately be proud of. We can't be all the time just running down institutions of governance because there have been cases of wrong doing," he added.
"Over time, investigating agencies in our country have been increasingly enquiring into administrative decisions, and also matters related to policy making. Such cases require great care in investigation. While actions that prima facie show malafide intent or pecuniary gain should certainly be questioned, pronouncing decisions taken with no ill-intention within the prevailing policy as criminal misconduct would certainly be flawed and excessive," the Prime Minister said.
"Policy-making is a multi-layered and complex process in the government, and will increasingly become so, and therefore, I don't think it would be to appropriate for a police agency to sit in judgment over policy formulation, without any evidence of malafide. It is also important that errors of judgment are distinguished from criminal acts. As I have said on earlier occasions, decision making in a world of uncertainty is a risky operation, and some decisions which appear sensible ex ante, may ex post, turn out to be faulty. Our administrative set up has to be so managed that the fear of the unknown must not lead to paralysis in decision making," Dr. Singh said.
"A trained mind is necessary for discovering criminality. When a charge sheet is filed, the charge sheet must go through rigorous process of scrutiny and there must be a high chance of securing conviction in that case. This highlights the need for greater professional expertise in the CBI, including from non-police organizations. I have touched upon this subject earlier also but this is something that is well worth repeating," he said.
The Prime Minister also congratulated the six Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officers whose work was being honored today, saying they are "examples of what we can achieve with hard work and determination. I wish them even greater success for the future.