Bangalore most corrupt among districts

Bangalore most corrupt among districts
New Indian Express

BANGALORE: Bangalore Urban district tops the list of the most corrupt districts in Karnataka.

With the highest number of government offices located in the State, Bangalore’s achievement is no wonder. The number of cases booked by Karnataka Lokayukta is a clear indication to the rampant corruption in the administration, which successive State Governments had vowed to check.

In the last five years, the anti-corruption department has booked 526 cases under Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act in 27 districts. Of them, 135 cases were from the city alone.

While, Belgaum is in number two position with 42 cases, Tumkur stands third with 35 cases. Apart from cases under PC Act, 34,613 cases were also registered under the Lokayukta Act against tainted officials in the last five years.

Interestingly, in the last six months not even a single case was booked under the PC Act in five districts –– Udupi, Kodagu, Chamrajnagar, Bidar and Bagalkot –– and in many other districts only one or two cases were registered.

“Given the number of government offices and transactions that take place every day, corruption in Bangalore is obviously much more compared to other districts.

“The Lokayukta officials in districts were not as active as they are in the city,” sources said.

In terms of Government departments, Revenue Department is the most corrupt department, followed by Urban Development and Rural Development, Panchayat Raj Departments and Home Department.

The Government apathy to take action against corrupt officials seems to be a major reason for increasing corruption. In as many as 83 cases under the Lokayukta Act and 36 cases under the PC Act. The Lokayukta is awaiting prosecution sanction order to take further action against corrupt officials.

“The Government is not giving prosecution sanction orders and it is also not acting on Lokayukta’s recommendations against corrupt officials,” sources added.