The level of corruption in five projects that are backed and overseen by the World Bank. Everyone is guilty - from bank and government officials and private companies to non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The projects where money was stolen are:
1. The 114-million-dollar Malaria Control Project. 2. The 82.1-million-dollar Orissa Health Systems Development Project. 3. The 193.7-million-dollar Second National HIV/AIDS Control Project. 4. The 124.8-million-dollar Tuberculosis Control Project 5. The 54-million-dollar Food and Drug Capacity Building Project.
What%u2019s shocking is that many lives were ruined because of inferior AIDS testing kits which resulted in healthy people being labelled HIV positive.
Corruption in these projects has come to light only because an outside agency like the World Bank is supervising. When our own government supervises, whether central or state, it gets easily hidden.
There are other instances, where lakhs of rupees collected by Red Cross societies in Punjab for Kargil War Relief, Orissa Cyclone Relief and Gujarat Earthquake Relief never reached the victims.
All in all corruption affects the common man more than hidden corruption in developed countries.
I doubt that germans have to pay bribes to Income tax officers, road transport authorities, government contract work etc.
What Mr Vekatesh says is tax evasion not a fraud or corruption, as rightly pointed out to evade very high tax rate.
Well written article (as you always does anycase). But having been attached with Big4s for quite a while, please let me explain the 'KPMG International' thingy. There is no sinister plan or secret around. The reason to delink each firm in each country from earlier being a global firm was only to protect it legally when something in the order of Enron happened to Arthur Andersen. A fault with the US operations of AA caused the entire global firm to crumble and crash just because the whole global operations was structured as one firm. Currently, firms such as PwC, KPMG etc are independed partnerships in each country / region bound together by a co-operative in Switzerland. KPMG International, the Swiss co-operative do not perform any audit / attest function. Each member firm does. This way, even if one of the member firm is sued, it does not affect rest of the member firms who did not have anything to do with it. I think after AA and various corporate failings, Big4s alongwith other audit firms are humbled and very careful about what they do. They have strong Risk Management.
Its a real picture of this country which is neck deep in corruption. Be it any government offices or private companies all are equally involved in corrupt practices. There is no ethics or morality followed at any levels. Only aim is to make money. It's the "LALA CULTURE" that's reflected.
RE:Its a real picture of India
by Angry Indian on Mar 26, 2008 05:17 PM Permalink
stages of Indian growth..
childhood- understands wat corruption means.. teenage- starts experimenting with it.. adulthood- uses it for gains.. old age- pays the price(good/bad both)
The article has correctly labelled holier than thou attitude of western media about India.
On looking closely, in US funds are raised for elections by selling "Power lunches", which is similar to our Mithai box.
There will be loopholes in any system. Businessmen are the first people to exploit it. Well, there is some amount of risk taking by any business. As rightly pointed out, bureaucrats have anti-business attitudes.
Whenever a Gora is recruited, s/he is recruited to liase with other Goras/Goris over a couple of drinks!!!
Recently, one of the Goras in the Indian airline industry was in news for getting new routes around the world. He was supposed to be head-hunted by a rival competetior.
Indian/worldbusiness people are no fools to hire services of Goras/Goris. Ultimately, bottom-line counts.
Corruption is everywhere. Some places it is visible(like in third countries)at other places it is not.It is 10% everywhere!!! Well, if you start a business take the above amount into costs incurred.
RE:Different forms of Corruption..
by Angry Indian on Mar 26, 2008 05:19 PM Permalink
problem is that other countries do it silently and cleanly while Indians take pride in spreading it or are not cunning enough..!
This may be a move to scuttle the growth of Indian Business and Businessmen who are busy buying companies abroad.
It is the duty of the CII and other Chambers of Commerce to take up this Issue and give a fitting reply to them with facts and figures.Further, the Indian Corporates also should do the soul searching to clean up their acts to justify that they are wrongly painted black.
The author's view is absolutely correct.Take the case of US sub primecrisis.All the collateral documents were rated by bigger firms and what is the consequence the economy now in turmoil.so WE NEED NOT BOTHER ABOUT SUCH AN INTELLECTAUL SURVEY REPORT.OUR INDIAN FINANCIAL REGULATORY AND RISK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM IS FAR FAR BETTER THAN WESTERN SYSTEM.ONE DAY THE WORLD WILL REALISE THIS. U.V.RAVIKUMAR, CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT COIMBATORE
