The annual corruption 'perception' index survey for 2009 held no surprises at least as far as India is concerned, although we have moved up one position from our 85th rank last year
The annual corruption 'perception' index survey for 2009 held no surprises at least as far as India is concerned, although we have moved up one position from our 85th rank last year. With the recent revelations about our Kodas, despite the arrest, Rajas and Reddys, despite the death, we may perhaps draw a sigh of relief that the rating has not actually declined more. After all, India which ranked 72nd in the world in 2007, slipped to the 85th position in the wake of the cash-for-vote scam the same year.
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Caught: Madhu Koda (right), arrested for financial fraud, is a fine example of corruption in India. pic/AP |
Corruption, as we are constantly reminded, begins and is sustained at the top. And this is unlikely to change anytime soon. But getting a handle on corruption in India would require much more than RTI and other similar methods. The clean-up will have to begin at the top of the government now, whether political or bureaucratic, since that's where the stench is coming from.
A winter of discontent?
It's that time of the year. Winter has just crept in, and Dilli is bracing for fog-induced delays. And it doesn't help matters to learn now that IGI airport has overtaken Mumbai's CSI airport as India's busiest. Since September, the capital has overtaken Mumbai, thanks to the commissioning of the new runway which has made it possible for the Delhi International Airport Authority Ltd (DIAL) to handle more passengers. International passenger traffic grew by 4.8 per cent this year in Dilli as compared to Mumbai, and is predicted to rise further.u00a0
But despite the onset of the fog season, DIAL is confident that it is prepared to handle the wintry conditions without disrupting flight schedules. This may sound horribly familiar to long-time passengers. The days ahead will no doubt show the veracity of this claim and the difference between confidence and plain complacency.
Widely regarded as India's 'Image Guru', Dilip Cherian is a lobbyist, celebrity creator and tycoon watcher. He currently parties on a 24/7 schedule that mixes cities, nixes bores, and analyses Dilli
