India today reiterated its commitment for eradication of corruption under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Speaking at the 1st ever Ministerial Meeting of G-20 Anti-Corruption Working Group, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge), Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said thatIndia under Modi is committed to the policy of zero tolerance against corruption and unaccounted money. In pursuance of this, he said, a range of initiatives have been taken by the Modi government over the last 6 years.
Dr Jitendra Singh referred to the India’s Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, which the Modi government amended after 30 years in 2018 to introduce a number of new provisions including criminalizing the act of giving bribe also in addition to taking bribe and at the same time putting in place an effective deterrence for such actions by individuals as well as corporate entities.
Dr Jitendra Singh said the present Act brought on the direction of Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims at checking corruption in big places and striking hard against corporate bribery. It seeks to establish a vicarious liability so that the actual bribe giver is also exposed.
The commitment of the present government, said Dr Jitendra Singh is to bring in more transparency, more citizen centricity and more accountability in governance and is indicated by its decisive initiatives to operationalize the institution of the Lokpal in the country to check corruption at high places.
Reminding the G20 Meeting Delegation that the world is presently combating serious emerging challenges of Fugitive Economic Offenders and Assets which flee across national jurisdiction. He said, India’s Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 empowers authorities for non-conviction based attachments and confiscation of proceeds of crime and properties as well as assets of a Fugitive Economic Offender.
We have also ceased the issue of the accused taking shelter in the foreign country and concealing the proceeds of crime, said Dr Jitendra Singh and conveyed India’s appreciation that the G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group together with the help of international organizations is taking this fight ahead in the right direction.
Lauding the efforts of G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group to organize the event under the shadow of Corona, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that even the COVID cannot deter our fight and crusade to eradicate corruption.
Dr Jitendra Singh congratulated the Presidency Saudi Arabia for organizing the G20 Ministerial Meeting on its 10th Anniversary year and wished that the world will come together for a steadfast and a strong movement to combat the menace of corruption.