Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday said there was a need to curb corruption in public life, adding the processes of governance also needs to be improved.
The PM further said it was right time to move decisively to curb corruption.
"Our efforts for rapid progress and development can have their full impact only if we curb corruption in public life and improve the processes of governance. I believe this is the right time to move decisively in this direction," Singh said addressing the two-day Conference of Governors.
His remarks assume significance in the wake of the ongoing anti-corruption movement led by Anna Hazare.
Underlining his government’s commitment, the Prime Minister said his government would do utmost to improve transparency and accountability in public authorities, and curb corruption in administration to deliver governance to citizens.
Singh mentioned the Lokpal Bill among the measures his government was taking in this direction.
The Prime Minister said the government was also working for enacting a law to bring more transparency and accountability in the procurement systems.
"Apart from the Lokpal Bill, a bill to amend the Land Acquisition Act has also been introduced in Parliament," he said.
Addressing Governors and Lt Governors at the conference which concluded here, the Prime Minister said he expected the state governments also to act similarly so that these efforts touch all levels of governance in all parts of the country.
Singh also touched upon the sticky subject of inflation, saying high food prices have been a particular cause of worry in the last two months.
“Immediate challenge today is how to sustain a high growth path while keeping inflation in check,” he added.
On left-wing extremism, Singh said it continues to pose a
major threat to internal security and stressed the need to
ensure that the menace does not spread to other areas.
Noting that it is deprivation and extreme poverty that
sometimes give rise to Naxalism, he said the government
recognises the need to address "development deficit" in areas
affected by left-wing extremism to deal effectively with this challenge.
"Those parts of our country that are affected by left-wing extremism also
happen to be more backward and poor and many of them have
predominant tribal populations," the Prime Minister said,
adding that the government has made available an outlay of Rs
55 crore to each of the 60 such identified districts under the
Integrated Action Plan for augmenting development plans there.
"As mentioned by the Home Minister, better policing and
development have to be the twin engines of a coordinated
strategy," he said.
Claiming that concerted efforts made by Centre and the
states in the past few years have shown some positive results,
the Prime Minister said the extent of success achieved by
these measures depends critically on co-ordination.
He termed terrorism and left-wing extremism as "formidable" challenges to
maintenance of law and order and said the main problems India
faces on its borders are infiltration by terrorists, illegal
migration and smuggling.
Noting that 17 states in the country have international
land borders, he underlined the need for greater cooperation
with neighbouring countries in tackling border-related
problems citing the case of Bangladesh, where he had recently
visited.
"The signing of protocol to Land Boundary Agreement in
1974 and putting in place the Coordinated Border Management
Plan with Bangladesh are example of what is possible through
such cooperation," he said.
(With PTI inputs)
First Published: Sunday, October 30, 2011, 19:59