Govt taking steps to uproot corruption: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said steps are afoot to uproot corruption that had become institutionalised, even as he promised more measures to ease the common man's problems.
Addressing over 200 start-up entrepreneurs at 'Champions of Change' programme here, he said the government has already ended the system of interviews for group-III and -IV employees in the government, ending the role of middlemen who used to promise jobs for money.
"It is unfortunate that corruption had become institutionalised. Till you make a counter institutional arrangement, you cannot stop it," Modi said at the event organised by Niti Aayog.
He said as the middlemen are out of work now, they are the ones who are shouting the most about unemployment.

Six groups of young entrepreneurs made presentations before the prime minister on themes such as - Soft Power: Incredible India 2.0; Education and Skill Development; Health and Nutrition; Energising a sustainable tomorrow; and Digital India; New India by 2022.
Appreciating the new ideas and innovations envisaged in the presentations, Modi said that only governments and their initiatives will not make a New India.

"Change will be powered by each and every citizen of India," said Modi, who met the entrepreneurs twice in as many days.
Prodding young entrepreneurs to innovate and suggest solutions to deal with different issues, Modi said he would like Champions of Change event to be an annual feature.

He said different groups of entrepreneurs, which were set up to suggest policy initiatives, could be attached with the relevant ministries on a permanent basis.
The prime minister said this initiative would be taken forward and institutionalised in the best possible way.
One possibility, he said, could be to associate the groups that made presentations today, with the respective departments and ministries in the Union government.
The prime minister said his government has taken numerous measures like introducing self attestations of certificates and doing away with interviews for lower posts, to ease life of the common man.
In his about 45-minute speech, Modi said he and a team of senior officers in the government are keen to explore new avenues and ways for the betterment of people.

He encouraged the entrepreneurs to continue their ideation in their respective groups. He said that if they did so, they could go a long way in furthering the cause of governance.
Modi further said a lot of "small changes" have been brought in by the government, which have brought significant results. He said trusting the common man, through self attestation of documents is one such initiative.
Referring to the Padma awards, Modi said that in past the prestigious awards were given on ministers' recommendation, but the government has now made it open to anyone for nomination.
"Remember how Padma Awards were given earlier? We brought in a 'small' change - people can recommend names for awards, unlike the past," he said.

Stressing that the government wants to work together with all citizens towards a New India, Modi said: Every one of us is equally patriotic and wants India to scale new heights of progress. There is no difference in our love for the nation".
Further, the prime minister stressed on the importance of good teachers in society. He said technology can provide a big boost to the quality of education.
Modi encouraged the entrepreneurs to work towards promoting social welfare schemes of the government among their employees.
He also talked about some of the suggestions made by the participants. Referring to one, Modi said a participant suggested that the problem of corruption could be handled effectively by improving the judicial system.

Several Union ministers, Niti Aayog Vice Chairman Arvind Panagariya and senior officers were present on the occasion.