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Has corruption haunted india's growth ?

A moss-green, crisp and leaf-like thin, valued more than morals, worshipped like God and credible more than someone's life. This miniature if accorded with open hands in no time gets anyone's work done effortlessly. It has provided a unique way to the people one side of the mark to quench their thirst and on the other side to somehow achieve their purpose. Its instinct is slowly taking the place of "hard work" which was once worshipped by the Indians. A question that haunts my mind often is -"Why a person is ready to hang his hard-earned self-respect for an evil like-Money?" My question may remain unanswered but we can't ignore the fact that it's all due to the parasite of corruption from which a person willingly or unwillingly suffers almost every day and everywhere. The word "corrupt" finds its origin from the Latin word "corruptus" which means to abuse or destroy.

In India corruption has trapped every field into its cobweb. Political, bureaucratic and corporate corruptions have tampered every citizen's dream of India becoming a developed country. In 2011, India has been ranked 95 out of 183 countries in Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index. For once we may turn blind on these facts but how can we turn deaf when an official asks for bribe to make a child pass his exams, to make a fake degree, to keep unqualified teachers on jobs or even worse to give a seat to an undeserving student and halting the dreams of other who worked much harder and is meritorious for that same seat in the college. Our constitution does not say this then why people are not afraid of this crime? A good education is the first step towards a country's progress and is the backbone of every system. If the degree and knowledge of the students of a nation are priced then unfortunately the doors are closed for India's progress and that is surely one of the reasons for brain drain. It is an inevitable fact that 80% of Indians earn less than 2$ per day and every second a child is malnourished. The ration shop distributors in India are callous about the health of people. That's the reason they end up supplying low quality ration to the poor people and in turn hamper their health and country's growth in long run. The original food is being rendered to those who pay good value for them.

It is also said that the public officials are cornering 1.26% of the country's GDP through corruption. The 2G spectrum scam, mining scandal in Karnataka & cash for vote scam very well narrate the story of India's progress. The tax paid by the citizens meant for country's growth is used to make money by the higher officials and increase their income illegally. The money spent for growth of the country is not even quarter of their black money. Government Schemes are implemented much for the benefit of public officials and less to the needy. The amount proposed for the welfare and progress of poor gets reduced at each level in the hierarchy of officials and finally the poor gets 25% of the proposed amount. According to a report, India's black money in Swiss banks is –"$1.4 trillion" which is a mind-boggling statistics so far on corruption.

India's growth cannot take place without fostering the needs of the poor who are still living in deplorable conditions. Individual corruption is the simplest and the toughest way indeed to deal with this debacle. Corruption has also haunted India's economic growth. For a moment it may seem that what's wrong in taking or giving bribe after all our work or purpose is anyway being resolved. But when you stimulate your hormones and think in terms of country's progress so far then you will feel nothing but be abashed by your actions. Our honorable political representatives may not realize corruption as an important factor in haunting India's growth but it is an astounding fact that without eradicating corruption you can't think of India's growth. The recently introduced Lokpal Bill and passed by the Lok Sabha on 27th December 2011 gives the picture of how the government is serious of eradicating corruption. Corruption has only made rich richer and poor poorer in our country. Before this gap widens and we have the two superlative degree antonyms to compare in our country, we must realize the seriousness of this problem.

A small appeal made by Money – "I know I can buy a degree but not knowledge then how does a parent forgets this when he pays me to get his child pass the exam. I know I can buy almost anything but not happiness then why do people do corruption just to get a fake and temporary happiness through me." Hence, every step taken for India's growth can be a success when individuals pledge not to take or give bribe and every Indian becomes more concerned for India's growth.

Sonali Dinkar