Vigilance agencies should take initiative to avoid influence

Vigilance agencies should take initiative themselves to avoid any kind of "extraneous influence" and improve faith of public in their institutional character, Union minister V Narayanasamy said today.
"Anti-Corruption and Vigilance agencies, both at central and federal level, should develop such protocols and procedures which isolate them from extraneous influences and improve faith of public in their institutional character," the minister of state for personnel said.
Speaking at the valedictory session of seventh Interpol global programme on anti-corruption, financial crime and asset recovery, the Minister said it is the responsibility of everyone to strengthen Lokpal and Lokayuktas by acting in unison in the spirit of constitutional ideals.

The Minister noted that private sector has its own obligation to control the "supply side" corruption by complying with modern governance and business ethics.
"Corruption, defined as the misuse of public office for private gain, has both demand and supply sides to it. In India, the efforts to rein in supply side corruption started in the early years of the millennium with the introduction of Integrity Pacts," he said.
The Minister said private sector has its own obligation and it has a lot to contribute in controlling supply side corruption.
"The basic requirement here lies in modernising their corporate governance structures and complying with modern governance and business ethics.