Maintaining that economic growth implies greater opportunity for corruption, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today told CBI it was important that errors of judgement were distinguished from criminal acts.
With his government's image battered by a series of graft allegations including in the coal scam that has even sought to draw PMO into its vortex, he said some decisions which appear sensible at the time of being taken may turn out to be faulty later.
"Our administrative set up has to be so managed that the fear of the unknown must not lead to paralysis in decision making," he said inaugurating an international conference organised by CBI on its Golden Jubilee celebrations.
In the public debate on corruption in India, Singh said, 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 reasonably fast pace," he said.
CBI Director Ranjit Sinha, in his speech, however, said while there is a need for fast economic growth necessitating quick decisions on exploitation of natural resources, the challenge for policy makers is to do in a manner that there is no scope for impropriety.
