Lok Pal Bill procedures don't undermine Parliament: Montek

The Plan Commission today said that the process of setting up a Lok Pal to weed out corruption is moving forward in a way that has protected Constitutional provisions and the supremacy of Parliament.

"You had a people's mobilisation, they wanted to have their views heard, you got a resolution of the problem. The thing is moving forward in a way that has protected the Constitutional provision and supremacy of Parliament," Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia told reporters here.

Heeding to social activist Anna Hazare's demand for creating an effective Jan Lok Pal, Parliament on Saturday adopted a 'Sense of the House' for creating of such an institution.

According to Ahluwalia, the corrective steps taken by the government to curb corruption would result in India emerging as a stronger nation for faster economic growth.

"I think if we take corrective steps over a broad range, people will feel from the growth point of view that we are becoming stronger candidate for faster growth," he opined.

"Most people are actually viewing this outside, as an interesting way..How an open society deals with an issue. I think they will be watching what steps we take," he added.

In the Approach paper to the 12th Plan (2012-17), the Commission has taken a broad look on the issue. It has said that though institutions like Lok Pal and Lokayukata will help in improving overall environment, much broader range of interventions are needed.

"Globally, corruption is not just India problem. I think the rest of world is looking at the way this issue has been handled (in India) as a vindication of democratic process," Ahluwalia said, adding that according to him the country needs to have Lokayukata, which is an important instrument dealing with this issue (of Corruption).

He also stressed on strengthening the mechanism that will enable the government to find out who is at fault and to take speedy corrective action.

Ahluwalia pointed towards corruption relating to government contracts, problems that arise because of discretion in allocation of resources and difficulty in finding out, identifying, investigating and prosecuting those who break law.

Raising the issue of poor pubic delivery, he said, "There is an issue of frustration that many people feel that they are not able to access public service which are their right. It takes too long to take all those things which they should be getting on the table."