First visible step to check corruption Take it to the highest level

Not that this will stop corruption. But this is perhaps the first visible sign of the State Government delivering a powerful statement that it is intent on pulling up those involved in corrupt practices. How successful the initiative of the Government is will depend on whether the Government has taken up this initiative with the sincere attempt to check graft practices or is more concerned with playing to the gallery. This is where Chief Minister N Biren will need to tread more cautiously. Giving expectations is relatively easier than living up to expectations and with expectations from the BJP led Government high, the coming days will tell whether it has the gumption and the sincerity to deliver. It was not without a reason why the anti-graft corruption cell which has been opened at the Chief Minister’s office was given such a welcome by the common people. The common people have always been at the receiving end of petty and not so petty Government officials expecting them to grease their palms for work which they are assigned to do and for which they are paid their salaries. Seen in this context it is a welcome sign to see that at least five Government employees have been placed under suspension while three workers of the Imphal Municipal Corporation have been disengaged from duty, for demanding and taking bribes. Obviously these cases may be small fries in the larger and bigger canvass that corruption spawns, but at least something seems to have been done and this is welcome. The natural question that follows is when and how the State Government intends to deal with corruption at the high places. It also fits in with the ‘No tolerance for corruption’ line adopted by the Narendra Modi Government at Delhi.

It is here that the BJP led Government should not ignore the trickle down effect. If corruption is to be creditably checked, then it goes without saying that corruption has to be checked at the higher level too. How much is the money involved to land a Government job ? How clean is the process of the numerous exams held to recruit employees ? With Lt General (Retd) Himalay Konsam as the Chairman of the Manipur Public Service Commission, the State Government has roped in the service of a man who is known for his integrity and this will go to some extent in checking corruption in recruitment processes conducted by he highest recruiting body in the State, but how about the others who will be involved in recruiting fresh employees in the departments ? How about the departments which directly deal with the process of awarding contract works and have to work in close co-ordination with contractors and suppliers ? These are questions at the moment and while there can be no sure shot formula to eradicate corruption, the Government need to acknowledge that graft practices start from the top and percolate down to the bottom. So cracking the whip at the lower end of the ladder will amount more to playing to the gallery for the real task should be about dealing with corruption at high places. Don’t overlook the corridors of power, is the submission of The Sangai Express.

Source: The Sangai Express