VP Jagdeep Dhankhar tells IRS officers: Corruption now leads to jail, not opportunity

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar with wife Dr Sudesh at Nagpur/ X@PIBIndia

Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar delivered a powerful message to Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers, stating that corruption no longer leads to opportunity or employment, but instead to imprisonment. During the valediction ceremony for the 76th batch of IRS in Nagpur, Maharashtra, Dhankhar emphasised the major shift in power corridors and the necessity of technology in combating corruption.

Dhankhar praised India's rise from a sleeping giant to a global force, emphasising its crucial position during its G-20 chairmanship, reported PTI.

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"During the G-20 presidency, we became the voice of the global south. Such a powerful combination of nations. Look at the GDP and population they represent and their voice was not being heard. It is now at a prominent platform, thanks to Bharat and our visionary leadership," he said.

The news agency report further stated that Dhankhar emphasised the use of technology to discourage cash handling and enhance transparency within the system, which aligns with Bharat's zero-tolerance attitude towards corruption.

He said, "I wouldn't make much reflections on corruption today. But one thing is for sure now power corridors have been duly neutralised of corrupt elements. Corruption is no longer a password to opportunity or a job or a contract. Corruption is a passage to a place that is jail. There is a paradigm shift and corruption no longer dictates our administration now."

Dhankhar emphasised India's incredible economic progress, pointing out the nation's meteoric leap from poverty to prominence in the world economy. For this accomplishment, he praised the creation of policies, imaginative leadership, and administrative work, the news agency further stated.

At one time after independence, India was among the poorest countries in the world. Even in 1991, India's economy was smaller than that of cities like Paris and London. That was the size of India, which was known as 'sone ki chidya' at one point of time. But today, India's economy is much ahead of the economy of France and the UK, he noted.

He further stated, "In a matter of two years, India will be ahead of Japan and Germany. This traversing has taken place on account of policy formulations which suit our nation and on the account of a vision that has been executed and on account of bureaucracy that has brought it about."

According to Dhankhar, India's GDP growth rate of 6.5 to 7 per cent on average underlines its reputation as the fastest-growing major economy. He voiced faith in India's future as a superpower and in its inevitable growth, the report stated.

"The skeptics of our exponential development and unstoppable rise need to step out of the bubble to experience the environment of hope and possibility," he said.

The PTI report further stated that Dhankhar applauded the changes made to the tax code to make it more taxpayer-friendly and to prioritise prompt refunds and rapid settlement of issues. He asked IRS agents to concentrate on preventing tax evasion and building taxpayer confidence via technology-enabled governance.

Dhankhar urged officers to embrace technology, emphasising the importance of artificial intelligence and blockchain in boosting tax governance and compliance. He urged cops to work tirelessly to achieve group goals, provide taxpayers with information, create transparency, and maintain professional ethics, the report added.

Dhankhar said, "Empower taxpayers with information, foster trust through transparency and uphold the highest standards of integrity in your professional conduct."