President terms corruption as 'cancer'; favours transparency

Describing corruption as cancer affecting the country, President Pratibha Patil today said the nation is losing resources due to the social evil and suggested transparency in the system.

Describing corruption as cancer affecting the country, President Pratibha Patil on Thursday said the nation is losing resources due to the social evil and suggested transparency in the system.

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"The system has to be made corruption free. Like a cancer, corruption is that sore, which drains the strength of a nation. Corruption has deprived the nation of better infrastructure and better facilities," Patil said delivering the inaugural lecture series organised by UPSC in New Delhi.

The President said when only a fraction of the money is spent for the purpose for which it is allocated; the impact is far less than the intended or envisaged.

For example, corruption in the public distribution system means that food meant for the poorer sections of society is not reaching them and as a result the national objective of removing poverty and hunger suffers.

"The people feel let down, the nation loses resources and we lag behind others. It is one malaise which brooks no delay," she said.

Patil said opaqueness results in red-tapism and unaccountability and there should be transparency in functioning.

Withholding information from the public creates a distance between the civil servant and the people; it results in a gap between those responsible for governing and those for whose benefits the system operates.