PTI: New Delhi: Thursday, March 30,
2017.
The Government
today cited eight anti-graft measures, all put in place by the erstwhile
Congress-led UPA dispensation, as initiatives to implement its policy of
"zero tolerance" to corruption.
In a written
reply to Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and
Pensions, Jitendra Singh said, "the central government is fully alive and
committed to implement its policy of 'zero tolerance against corruption' and
has taken several measures to combat corruption and improve functioning of the
Government."
He said the
steps "inter alia" include Right to Information Act, inclusion of
integrity pact in major purchases, ratification of United Nations Convention
against corruption, placing of assets of government officers in public domain,
setting up of additional special CBI courts, introduction of e-governance and
direct benefit scheme.
All these
steps were initiated by the erstwhile UPA government, during its two terms
between 2004 and 2014, led by the then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
During the
2014 general elections, Congress was blamed by the BJP for corruption and going
soft on corrupt elements.
The Right to
Information Act (RTI) was enacted in the year 2005 which allowed people to get
information on the payment of Rs 10 without giving any reason.
The Central
Vigilance Commission had recommended the organisations to adopt integrity pact
in major procurement activities in the year 2007.
The United
Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) was ratified in the year 2011.
The details
of immovable assets of group A officers started to be put in public domain as
per orders of the Government on April 11, 2011.
It was
decided by the then UPA government to set up 71 Additional Special Courts for
CBI cases in the country of which 54 became functional between 2009 and 2011.
The
e-governance and simplification of procedure and systems was initiated in
National e-Governance Action Plan (NeGP) sanctioned in the year 2006.
The program
is now subsumed under Digital India.
The Direct
Benefit Transfer initiative was started on January 1, 2013.
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