India PM Says Committed to Curbing Corruption

Posted February 3rd, 2012 at 7:40 am (UTC-5)
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India's prime minister says his government is committed to curbing corruption.

Manmohan Singh said Friday in New Delhi that the government has taken measures to move “substantially forward” in thwarting corruption.

The prime minister said he was hopeful lawmakers would soon enact a strong anti-corruption law. The bill was passed by the lower house of parliament in the last session, but not the upper house.

Mr. Singh also cited the the Electronic Delivery of Services bill that has been introduced in parliament, designed to utilize modern technology to improve the delivery of public services.

The prime minister acknowledged that despite his government's undertakings to combat corruption, it still has “a long way to go” in its efforts to ensure “transparency, accountability and probity in public life.”

On Thursday, India's Supreme Court ordered the government to revoke 122 telecommunications licenses awarded in 2008 to mobile phone companies that are at the center of one of the country's largest corruption scandals. The sale of the licenses for less than market value cost the government up to $40 billion in lost revenue.

Public frustration in India has been growing over a series of multi-billion dollar scandals involving top politicians.