Wednesday

16


January , 2019
Chanakya’s ways to tackle corruption
15:47 pm

Dr. P K Agrawal


Chanakya was a great practical thinker of India. He devised result-oriented ways to administrative, military and political strategy for good governance in his seminal work, the Artha Shastra. We may implement some of his prescriptions to tackle one of the most pressing problems facing the country which defy all solutions.

He lists the following as corrupt practices:

i)             King or head of state should look to the treasury first because all departments and undertakings are dependent first on the treasury. He should see prosperousness of activities, cherishing of customs, suppression of thieves, control over employees, luxuriance of crops, abundance of commodities, and deliverance from trouble, reduction in exemption of taxes and presents in cash as positive actions to prevent corrupt practices.

ii)            For one who swallows the government revenue, the fine is eight-fold. For a case of false statement, the punishment is that for theft. However, the administrative head should honour with favours the officer who confers great benefit on the state or government. If the officer causes a diminution of revenue fixed or causes an increase in the expenditure sanctioned, that is lost. For that officer should be fined four times the amount lost.

iii)           If there is a failure to carry out a work, failure to realise its fruit or failure to deliver it in time, the officer should be fined one-tenth of the amount involved. This can constitute a great threat to officers who recklessly play with states’ or government projects without caring for their completion in time or output from them. The officers involved in the construction or implementation of a project should not be allowed to run away with commission without being accountable for the benefit from the project to its beneficiaries or the public and without caring for its operation and maintenance.

iv)           Any false statement by the officer regarding due date is concealment. For that the fine is one-fifth of the loss caused.

v)            An officer cannot allow the government or state’s property for his or other’s use. For that the fine is at least equal to the amount of small value and forest produce. In the case of other goods; it is the restitution of goods and more.

vi)           If the officer does not deliver the income that has accrued or does not pay the expenses put down in writing or denies the balance received, that is misappropriation. For that the fine is twelve times the amount.

vii)          The ways of embezzlement are forty. What has accrued first is realised afterwards. What is to accrue later is realised first. All types of discrepancies are punishable whether in accounting, description, statement, performance, quality, price, measurements, dates, etc.

viii)         In the case of many accusations, the officer denies all charges and is proved guilty in a single case, he shall be liable for all. In case of partial admission, he shall stand trial in all cases and in case of misappropriation of a large amount of money, if is proved guilty with respect to even a small part of it; he shall be liable for all.

Positive Measures

Chanakya exhorts following remedial actions:

1.            Strict supervision of work by the superior officers in the state or government: In all cases of corruption like the ones narrated above, the officer should interrogate, each individually, the subordinate office, the store-keeper, the receiver, the person who pays, the person who causes the payment to be made, the adviser and the helpmate and in the case of false statement by them, the fine shall be the same as for the officer (concerned).

2.            According to Chanakya, fish under water best knows what is hidden in the water. Similarly, an employee in the same department or section can best inform what is going on in the particular department or work. He should be tapped to catch black sheep of his department or section. He should be used as informer. A guarantee should give to the informer, against reprisal (by the officer), he should receive one-sixth part of the amount involved if the matter is proved, one-twelfth part if he happens to be a state or government servant. In the case of an accusation con-cerning a large amount, if only a small portion is proved or is not proved, the accused shall receive corporal or mone-tary punishment, and no favour shall be shown to him.

Conclusion        

Thus, some of the steps that Chanakya suggests to tackle one of the insurmountable problems of corruption can be implemented within the four corners of the Constitution of India and the law of the land to make India a corruption-free state.

 

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