Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, Nov 29 : 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 disclosed here today that, following the recent Parliamentary Amendment brought in by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) in the Prevention of Corruption Act of 1988, bribe-giver has been made equally liable for punishment, unlike in the past when only the bribe-taker or one who received the bribe was subject to action under law. It goes to the credit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that after his approval, DoPT could successfully bring in an Amendment Motion in the Parliament after 30 years since the Prevention of Corruption Act was first enacted, he said.
Speaking at an Awards Function organized by the DoPT here today to felicitate the winners of an Online “International Youth Anti-Corruption Contest” – “Together against Corruption”, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, at the same time, the Government has created a congenial environment for diligent officers who perform with honesty and sincerity.
“A number of laws have been amended such as the Prevention of Corruption Act (PCA) where the bribe giver can also now be prosecuted and time limit fixed to act against the accused. Besides, the Lokpal Act and the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act have been enacted to check corruption”, said Dr. Jitendra Singh. “At the same time, the Government has introduced several reforms towards bringing about transparency like scrapping Interviews for Group C and certain Group B posts and doing away with the attestation of certificates”, he added.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, in 2014 Prime Minister Narendra Modi inherited a huge legacy of scams amidst a huge challenge of pessimism in the country all around. “There has been a significant turnaround in the last more than five years”, he said.
Exhorting the youth to rise against corruption, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, young minds must lead the fight against the malady of corruption as they can be an effective model of social change. “Incorruptibility is a virtue difficult to achieve for one who has had an opportunity to get corrupted; this virtue comes from self-esteem”, he said.
On the occasion, Dr. Jitendra Singh presented awards to the top three national winners of the Online International Youth Anti-Corruption Contest “Together against Corruption” which was initiated by the BRICS forum.
In January 2019, during the BRICS Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting held in Japan, on the margins of G20 Anti-Corruption Working Group Meeting, Russian Federation initiated organizing an Online International Youth Anti-corruption contest “Together against Corruption!” with the participation of BRICS member countries.
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