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This is the most corrupt, inefficient government Kerala has seen

Exclusive Interview/ Oommen Chandy, head, Congress poll panel for Kerala

Cithara Paul

The Congress-led United Democratic Front is facing one of the toughest electoral battles ever in Kerala. After the resounding defeat in the recent civic body polls, the Congress high command roped in former chief minister Oommen Chandy, 77, to head the party’s poll panel for the state. He spoke to The WEEK about his comeback and his hopes for the party. Excerpts:

Q/ What are your expectations for this election?

A/ The UDF will win this election. There is strong anti-incumbency against this government as it has failed the people on all fronts. There is corruption in all departments. The chief minister and the ministers [don’t think about] the common man. They came to power raising huge allegations against me and other ministers. They maligned me personally. But they could not prove even a single case against UDF ministers. The voters of Kerala are watching all this and I am sure that they will give a befitting reply to the LDF. It is the most corrupt and inefficient government Kerala has ever seen.

Q/ But the LDF swept the recent local self-government elections.

A/ The LSG elections are a totally different ball game. Most voters vote for someone they personally know. But assembly elections are an out and out political battle. So there is no comparison. Also, many rebels contested against official UDF candidates in the LSG elections. But that will not be there now and we will fight the election together. Also, state politics has changed a lot in the last one month in favour of the UDF. The history of our elections, where voters have chosen both the fronts alternately, will also work in our favour.

Q/ You were not visible in Kerala politics since the UDF lost power. But now you have been brought back. Does it mean the Congress needs you to win this time?

A/ I had to stay away from Kerala because I was given charge of the Congress in Andhra [Pradesh]. But it doesn’t mean I was not active in state politics. I was very much here. Now I have been given the charge because it is a crucial election for the party and we must win it together. Other than that there is no political meaning to my appointment.

Q/ At a time when the LDF is being led by a tall leader like Pinarayi Vijayan, would it not be better for the UDF to project a chief ministerial candidate?

A/ We believe in collective leadership and the priority right now is to win the election at all costs. The chief minister will be decided by the high command after the elections. There will be no issue over that once we win the election.

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Q/ Are you likely to be considered to become chief minister?

A/ As a disciplined party worker I will obey whatever the high command says.

Q/ How will you compare your style of governance with that of Pinarayi’s?

A/ I will not comment on his style, but I can tell you about mine. I believe in consensus and democracy. Autocracy is not my style and I take into consideration the opinion of everyone involved. I had told my officers that they have every right to correct me if I am wrong. They were reluctant initially. But I told them that they are there to help me make the correct decisions. And if someone points out errors in my actions, I would make corrections without any ego. I am always open to criticism.

Q/ What about the allegation that Congress leaders are “buyable”. Even Rahul Gandhi made a statement to that effect. How will you counter that?

A/ The BJP is playing dirty politics. They are killing democracy using money and muscle power. No other government has stooped to this level. All values of democracy are being killed. But it is not that Congress leaders alone are joining the BJP. The CPI(M) cadre has shifted their loyalty en masse to the BJP. Even in Kerala, a local committee office was converted into a BJP office overnight. The BJP is trying to finish off opponents and this does not augur well for democracy.

Q/ Do you see the BJP as a threat in the coming elections? What will be the Congress’s strategy?

A/ The people of Kerala will reject the BJP completely.

The Congress [candidate] list will be unlike any previous one. There will be a strong presence of women and the youth. Winnability will be the only criteria for choosing a candidate.

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Essay on Corruption for Students and Children

500+ words essay on corruption.

Essay on Corruption – Corruption refers to a form of criminal activity or dishonesty. It refers to an evil act by an individual or a group. Most noteworthy, this act compromises the rights and privileges of others. Furthermore, Corruption primarily includes activities like bribery or embezzlement. However, Corruption can take place in many ways. Most probably, people in positions of authority are susceptible to Corruption. Corruption certainly reflects greedy and selfish behavior.

Essay on Corruption

Methods of Corruption

First of all, Bribery is the most common method of Corruption. Bribery involves the improper use of favours and gifts in exchange for personal gain. Furthermore, the types of favours are diverse. Above all, the favours include money, gifts, company shares, sexual favours, employment , entertainment, and political benefits. Also, personal gain can be – giving preferential treatment and overlooking crime.

Embezzlement refers to the act of withholding assets for the purpose of theft. Furthermore, it takes place by one or more individuals who were entrusted with these assets. Above all, embezzlement is a type of financial fraud.

The graft is a global form of Corruption. Most noteworthy, it refers to the illegal use of a politician’s authority for personal gain. Furthermore, a popular way for the graft is misdirecting public funds for the benefit of politicians .

Extortion is another major method of Corruption. It means to obtain property, money or services illegally. Above all, this obtainment takes place by coercing individuals or organizations. Hence, Extortion is quite similar to blackmail.

Favouritism and nepotism is quite an old form of Corruption still in usage. This refers to a person favouring one’s own relatives and friends to jobs. This is certainly a very unfair practice. This is because many deserving candidates fail to get jobs.

Abuse of discretion is another method of Corruption. Here, a person misuses one’s power and authority. An example can be a judge unjustly dismissing a criminal’s case.

Finally, influence peddling is the last method here. This refers to illegally using one’s influence with the government or other authorized individuals. Furthermore, it takes place in order to obtain preferential treatment or favour.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Ways of Stopping Corruption

One important way of preventing Corruption is to give a better salary in a government job. Many government employees receive pretty low salaries. Therefore, they resort to bribery to meet their expenses. So, government employees should receive higher salaries. Consequently, high salaries would reduce their motivation and resolve to engage in bribery.

corruption in kerala essay

Tough laws are very important for stopping Corruption. Above all, strict punishments need to be meted out to guilty individuals. Furthermore, there should be an efficient and quick implementation of strict laws.

Applying cameras in workplaces is an excellent way to prevent corruption. Above all, many individuals would refrain from indulging in Corruption due to fear of being caught. Furthermore, these individuals would have otherwise engaged in Corruption.

The government must make sure to keep inflation low. Due to the rise in prices, many people feel their incomes to be too low. Consequently, this increases Corruption among the masses. Businessmen raise prices to sell their stock of goods at higher prices. Furthermore, the politician supports them due to the benefits they receive.

To sum it up, Corruption is a great evil of society. This evil should be quickly eliminated from society. Corruption is the poison that has penetrated the minds of many individuals these days. Hopefully, with consistent political and social efforts, we can get rid of Corruption.

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56 corrupt officials held by vigilance last year in Kerala

For representational purposes

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau registered 47 trap cases against corrupt government officials last year- the most by the anti-graft agency in a calendar year in history. The most cases were reported from Local Self Government and Revenue departments - 14 each. The Health Department saw seven cases, while there were four cases in the Registration department. The Water Authority and the Education department had two cases, while the Police, Civil Supplies, KSEB and Legal Metrology contributed a single case each.

According to the vigilance yearly statistics released by director ADGP Manoj Abraham, the most number of trap cases were registered in South Kerala, 14, while North Kerala saw 13 such cases. In 2021, vigilance registered 30 trap cases. In 2022, as many as 56 government servants were arrested after being caught red-handed by vigilance sleuths.

The anti-graft agency also mounted 1,715 raids last year, with an average of 4.7 cases per day, which is the highest in the history of the agency. The raids were held in the offices of the Motor Vehicle, General Education, Local Self Government, Higher Secondary, Health, Registration, Revenue, Public Works and Public Distribution departments. Last year, the department conducted 1,019 raids. The conviction rate of corrupt officials also went up last year. As many as 75 people were convicted on corruption charges during the period, which is also a record for the anti-graft agency.

The vigilance sleuths, meanwhile, conducted probes in 88 cases, while secret probes were held in 116 cases. Tribunal inquiry was initiated in 9 cases. The probe was completed in 62 cases and chargesheets were filed in the respective courts. Preliminary inquiries were done on 446 corruption cases, while 178 cases were registered by the department.

LSG, revenue dept on top Most cases were reported from local self-government and revenue departments - 14 each. The health department saw seven cases, while there were four cases in the registration department.

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corruption in kerala essay

'Not even cold drink'. A cartoon by Shankar in the Hindustan Times  on the Indian government's neglect of famine in Travancore. (16 October 1943). Source: Santhanam (1944).

corruption in kerala essay

A Forgotten Famine and the Rise of Communism in Kerala

Aditya Balasubramanian

Aditya Balasubramanian

Aditya Balasubramanian

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In the midst of the Second World War, after Burma fell to Japan in 1942, the princely state of Travancore in south India lost access to its key source of rice. In comparison to the neighbouring state of Cochin, Travancore acted belatedly and without adequate urgency to secure food from other areas. 

The consequences of this shortage and its subsequent mismanagement were profound. They contributed to an estimated 90,000 deaths and the loss of legitimacy of an already unstable and unpopular regime. 

This event, contemporaneous with the more ruinous Bengal Famine, took place in one of India’s richest princely states, often seen as a model of governance. It has been largely forgotten. Yet, the food scarcity of the period became a rallying point and material condition that the communists were able to use both to legitimise their cause and win converts. It enabled them to launch a major uprising and helped lay the foundations for their enduring presence in Kerala. 

Food shortage and its mismanagement

The long-term driver of rice dependence on Burma was Travancore’s transformation into a cash crop economy from the 19th century onwards. 

Policies granting security of tenure and tax concessions on its land allowed an attractive small peasant agriculture to take root. In parallel, European contact in the second half of the 19th century contributed to the development of markets for export. The state also had a large plantation sector, especially for tea, cardamom, and rubber. By the 1920s, Travancore was exporting millions of pounds of tea and rubber and millions of yards of coir mats. 

The developments disrupted regional self-sufficiency. It left Travancore vulnerable to the vicissitudes of global markets, of the sort that followed the fall of Burma. 

Export revenues more than paid for expanding import requirements. They also funded state-facilitated industrialisation centred on agro-processing. However, the developments disrupted regional self-sufficiency. It left Travancore vulnerable to the vicissitudes of global markets, of the sort that followed the fall of Burma. 

By late 1942, Travancore was experiencing a crucial shortage of food. In the Indian government’s order of priority for food aid, Travancore and Cochin came a distant second after Bengal. Even within that allotment, only a fraction of the stocks promised from surplus areas arrived. The dispatches of rice were further reduced over great distances they travelled on the already overburdened railways, which created opportunities for pilferage along the way. 

corruption in kerala essay

To remedy the crisis, Travancore pursued its local version of the nationwide Grow More Food Scheme. Through this, it sought to switch over from cultivating cash to food crops, expand the land area under cultivation, increase irrigation, and use better seeds to improve agricultural yields. But unlike other states, Travancore was already near the frontier of cultivable land. 

More consequentially, the government began to regulate and oversee food procurement and distribution. This was a reactive process of trial and error. It responded to dishonest behaviour by government employees, landowners unwilling to let go of excess stocks of food, and unscrupulous merchants who aimed to sell grain to the highest bidder. 

Travancore initially required merchants to secure permits for trading and provide the government with information about the purchase and sale of stocks. However, this effort did little to mitigate price increases in rice. Next, the government experimented with introducing designated grain purchasing officers and invested them with legal sanction to purchase food from landowners holding excess stocks at specified prices. This created an incentive for landowners to lie about their stocks. Officers themselves had varying methods for determining excess. This basis for determining excess stocks was then substituted by a measure based on acreage. But land yields differed by plot, so the government shifted to measurement based on land rent, which in turn corresponded to yield. 

Although it was smaller and closer to a major port, Cochin’s leadership better understood the gravity of the problem.

When every other alternative had been exhausted and found inadequate, the government of Travancore took over every aspect of food procurement and distribution. But the amount of the ration the state could offer was only about eight ounces (227 g), compared with 21.3 ounces in Madras and 24.3 ounces in Bombay. This might have been able to sustain life, but not healthy living.

Travancore’s comparative mismanagement of the food shortage becomes apparent when compared to neighbouring Cochin. Although it was smaller and closer to a major port, Cochin’s leadership better understood the gravity of the problem. From the very beginning of the shortage, it instituted a single price of food. Thus, the problem of cheaper rice going to those with greater willingness to pay could be avoided. Procurement was based on settlement yields rather than acreage. Village panchayats were introduced earlier to help determine localised requirements of stock from landowners.  Rationing was introduced a full year before Travancore. “Cochin restaurants” were introduced with more palatable meals made from rice alternatives to encourage people to adjust their food habits.

'The desperate mood'

What do we mean by famine, and can we call Travancore’s experience one of famine? Some estimates call anything over 10,000 deaths a famine; others any event that leads to a daily excess mortality rate of over 1 in 10,000 (Howe and Devereux 2004). The Famine Enquiry Commission Report published in 1945 did not have official estimates and did not consider these events to constitute famine (Government of India 1945). But they were also not aware of the casualties. 

The only reckoning we have of famine deaths in Travancore between 1942–44 is based on parish records of the Church Missionary Society, used by K.G. Sivaswamy of the Servants of India Society to arrive at a figure of approximately 90,000 deaths. 

This estimate is crude. Sivaswamy's calculations did not adjust for changes in the composition of the population. But it is all that we have. Irrespective of the precise numbers, various parties considered the events to constitute a famine.

Ration officers sold rice on the black market or at inflated prices to the poor and enriched themselves.

The effects of Travancore’s management of the food shortage varied across class, caste, and space. Fictionalised accounts and subsequent disproportionate assets cases suggested that ration officers sold rice on the black market or at inflated prices to the poor and enriched themselves. For the poor, malnutrition led to greater vulnerability. The reduction of immunity left Travancoreans more susceptible to smallpox and cholera. 

Protruding ribs, swollen stomachs, and stick-like arms became a common sight. The weight at birth of children born between March 1943 and September 1944 declined by eight ounces (227 g). Conditions worsened as one moved away from urban areas.

Some 12,000 people migrated north to the jungles of Malabar in the neighbouring Madras presidency, where they sought to cultivate land for food crops. Moving to the jungle carried risks: some could not successfully bring land under cultivation and had to return. Others died of malaria. Adjusting diets to the produce of the land could lead to an overconsumption of carbohydrates and deficiencies in fish and coconuts. The resulting anaemia and scabies increased mortality rates. 

Those who could not leave experienced worse undernutrition and were forced to rely more heavily on rice substitutes like tapioca. An excess of this starch in the diet slowed bone growth in children. Protein deficits in diets led to oedema and kwashiorkor. 

The former was the most common experience. For a person experiencing oedema, swelling begins in the abdomen and spreads through the body, stretching the skin. Blood pressure drops, corneas turn red and sore, and aches and pains develop across the body. A craving for carbohydrates and salt develops, accompanied by uncontrollable diarrhoea. Then, the victims move from depression, to irritation, to unconsciousness. 

"Beg, bribe, borrow, steal, do anything you like so you may live! – This becomes the desperate mood”

The communist leader E.M.S. Namboodiripad, who went on to become the first chief minister of Kerala, spoke of how under these conditions, notions of morality were replaced by survival instincts: “Self-respect and fellow-feeling disappear in the face of hunger. Beg, bribe, borrow, steal, do anything you like so you may live! – This becomes the desperate mood” (Namboodiripad 1943).

But this story is not one merely of disempowerment and of death that were forgotten. Political developments were underway. 

Political denouement

The war provided a ruse for Travancore’s autocratic diwan C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar to keep a lid on dissent and prevent the transmission of information about the gravity of the situation in the state. In regular times, he suppressed the press and feared responsible self-government. With expanded powers from the Defence of Travancore Rules, he was able to arrest politicians for sedition if they exposed the food situation. Press communiques warned against subversive activities. The state police hired gangs to disrupt meetings held by dissidents. By surrounding himself with sycophants, Ramaswamy Aiyar had also driven his subordinates into silence. 

Despite the repression, the worsening food situation created the conditions for successful communist activity and the eclipse of princely rule in Travancore. It also shaped the growing conceptualisation of a united state of Kerala out of the politically divided Malayalam-speaking areas of south India: the princely states of Cochin and Travancore, and British Indian Malabar. 

corruption in kerala essay

Politics in the theocratic state of Travancore had developed in a distinct but connected fashion to the provinces of British India.  Early-20th-century movements focused on caste reform. Ezhavas, Dalits, Christians, and Muslims came together to contest Brahmin and Nair domination of government employment. The state resisted the demands of progressive politics. Reforms amounted to reversible, targeted mitigations of popular pressure that proceeded from the reordering of social and economic relations.

By the 1930s, shaped by mass nationalism in British India, political activity in Travancore began to be concerned with the advent of responsible self-government in the future. Travancore introduced a largely hollow bicameral legislature with limited franchise, marking out special quotas for Muslims, non-Syrian Christians, and Ezhavas.

The left wing of the Congress and the communists attracted a considerable following by this time, particularly amongst coir workers in the coastal Ambalappuzha and Shertallai districts. They helped stage a major general strike and oversaw a local Civil Disobedience movement in 1938, which was brutally suppressed. Building on these developments, a Travancore branch of the communist party was founded in 1940.

The war proved to be a boon for the communists. When the Soviets entered the war in 1942 on the side of the British, the communists dropped their opposition. By contrast, the Congress staged the Quit India Movement this year, and most major leaders were jailed. Freer from the threat of arrests, the communists organised workers and peasants to increase food production, formed feeding centres for the poor, and helped the government get acreage and yield statistics of farms. 

The communists also conducted night classes to educate children and potential party workers in their ideology and train them in guerilla warfare. They focused their efforts on factory workers and agricultural labourers. By the end of the war, they had about 45,000 workers in Travancore. Most of these were of lower-caste and Dalit backgrounds. 

The cessation of hostilities would not have been noticed much by the average Travancorean. Food scarcity continued, and prices kept up their ascent. Migration to the jungles continued. Reduced demand for coir from the United States after the end of the war threw coir workers out of jobs. 

Unlike in Malabar, where the Congress had a mass following, in Travancore it was the Communists who took the lead in organising labour strikes, food rallies, and student actions.

In this environment, the communists persisted in tying food-related agitation to ideological concerns. 

In late July 1946,  Travancore communists raised a jatha (organised march) of 2,000 people, shouting food slogans and Inquilab in Alleppey to protest against rising prices. Unlike in Malabar, where the Congress had a mass following, in Travancore it was the communists who took the lead in organising labour strikes, food rallies, and student actions.

The activism of this period dovetailed with the idea of Aikiya Keralam (United Kerala), free of princely or imperial rule and governed by democracy. The communists bitterly opposed Ramaswamy Aiyar’s schemes for Travancore’s political future. Recognising that an independent nation-state was an unlikely outcome, he proposed what he called an “American Model,” Travancore would become a part of a federation nominally joined to an Indian Union. There would be universal suffrage, but a permanently ensconced executive would be appointed by the maharaja. In response, the communists raised the slogan “Throw the American Model in the Arabian Sea!” (Jeffrey, 1977). 

Subsequent tensions culminated in what came to be known as the Punnapra-Vayalar revolt. On 22 October 1946, a general strike was inaugurated. Two days later, a clash between the police and workers broke out, killing four policemen. The next day, martial law was declared in Shertallai and Alleppey. Ramaswamy Aiyar took over the military and raided worker camps. In motor boats, a military detachment operated the peninsular village of Vayalar and opened fire on thousands of workers and killed hundreds. This was the first working-class revolt against the government in Indian history. Months after the uprising, the diwan left his job, and Travancore acceded to the Indian Union.

The Punnapra-Vayalar revolt came to be the stuff of communist lore. It helped the Communists consolidate their political base. On 1 November 1956, the united state of Kerala came into being. Assembly elections in the following year brought the world’s first democratically elected communist government to power.

What accounts for the comparatively greater attention to Bengal over Travancore in famine historiography and popular memory? The scale of the Bengal famine was much greater than Travancore. In Bengal, the editor of Calcutta’s widely and internationally circulated The Statesman newspaper began to write about the famine from August 1943. No comparable publication did the same to expose the events in Travancore; all possibly offensive literature was banned. Travancoreans migrated to rural areas while Bengalis came to the metropolis, where others could perceive their suffering. And Bengal’s importance to colonial India dwarfed that of Travancore. 

Indeed, the devastation of the Bengal famine has overshadowed the impact of food shortage, hunger, and starvation in other parts of the subcontinent during the Second World War. Food deficits arose across the Northwest Frontier Province, Bihar, UP, and Bombay and Madras Presidencies. 

But it would be wrong to say that the Travancore events were forgotten because they were not important. Far from it. 

Unlike in the other areas of the former Madras Presidency, where ration shops were disbanded after the war, they were consolidated and expanded in what became Kerala.

Communism and food policy continued to be related in postcolonial Kerala. Within a year of taking office in 1957, the communist government lifted taxes on foodstuffs and created policies to lower rice prices. The state took over the cultivation of rice in the fertile Kuttanad region. 

Although Kerala is not without its problems, it has the country’s best public distribution system today. It operates a two-level system with a widespread network of ration and fair price shops. Unlike in the other areas of the former Madras presidency, where ration shops were disbanded after the war, they were consolidated and expanded in what became Kerala. The communists continue to perform well electorally in what became Alappuzha district, which incorporated Ambalappuzha and Shertalai and included the sites of the Punnapra-Vayalar uprising. 

Restoring Travancore’s forgotten famine of 1943 to our memory reminds us that hunger was a constitutive experience of war in regions across the subcontinent, one with multiple histories.  It shows us how positive political change can follow from the most devastating of events.  It illuminates part of a broader story of how one remarkable region has defied some of the dominant trends that have characterised the Indian nation-state’s chequered history.

(This essay is adapted from “A Forgotten Famine of ’43? Travancore’s Muffled ‘Cry of Distress,’” part of the September 2023 special issue of Modern Asian Studies on “ Rethinking the Second World War in South Asia ,” edited by Isabel Huacuja Alonso and Andrew Amstutz.)

Aditya Balasubramanian is a senior lecturer in history at Australian National University and the author of Toward a Free Economy: Swatantra and Opposition Politics in Democratic India (Princeton University Press, 2023).

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Government of India (1945). Report of the Famine Enquiry Commission .

Howe, P. and S. Devereux (2004). “Famine Intensity and Magnitude Scales: A Proposal for an Instrumental Definition of Famine.” Disasters 28(4): 353-72.

Jeffrey, Robin (1977). “A Sanctified Label: Congress in Travancore, 1938-47." In Congress and the Raj: Facets of the Indian Struggle 1917-47,  edited by   D.A. Low. New Delhi: Oxford University Press.

Namboodiripad, E.M.S. (1943). “Food in Kerala.” People’s War ( 30 July).

Ouwerkerk, Louise (1994). No Elephants for the Maharaja: Social and Political Change in the Princely State of Travancore, (1921–47). edited with an introduction by Dick Kooiman. New Delhi: Manohar.

Santhanam, K. (1944), Cry of Distress.  New Delhi: Hindustan Times.

Sivaswamy G. et al. (1945). The Exodus from Travancore to the Malabar Jungles.  Coimbatore: ServIndia Relief Centre. 

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Corruption in India: Status, Causes & Impacts

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From Current Affairs Notes for UPSC » Editorials & In-depths » This topic

The menace of corruption is the most talked-about issue in India which grapples the sphere of public debate very often. The phenomenon touches every human being from the one living in slums to the person occupying the highest echelons of the State system. Just like the fictional Voldemort, corruption grows at every utterance of it. In the words of Kautilya “Just as it is impossible not to taste the honey that finds itself in the tip of the tongue, so it is impossible for a government assistant not to eat up, at least a bit of King’s revenue.”

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This topic of “Corruption in India: Status, Causes & Impacts” is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination , which falls under General Studies Portion.

What is Corruption?

Transparency International (TI) defines corruption as “The abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It can be classified as grand, petty and political, depending on the amounts of money lost and the sector where it occurs”

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What is the Status of corruption in India?

  • In 2021, the country was ranked 85th out of 180 in the Corruption Perceptions Index, with the lowest-ranked countries perceived to have the most honest public sector. Corruption is caused by a variety of factors, including officials stealing money from government social welfare programmes.
  • CPI, 2019 highlighted that unfair and opaque political financing, undue influence in decision-making and lobbying by powerful corporate interest groups, has resulted in stagnation or decline in the control of corruption.
  • As per the India Corruption Survey 2019, 51% of the respondents admitted to paying bribes. Rajasthan and Bihar fared the worst in the country with 78% and 75% of respondents admitting to paying bribes.

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What are the causes of corruption?

Inquiry into the causes of corruption presents a detailed picture of a socio-political-economic-administrative scenario that breeds corruption on a daily basis.

  • Legacy issues –
  • Rampant poverty and empty coffers of the government at the dawn of independence leading to chronic low salaries of the government officials.
  • Pre liberalization license permit raj catered by Monopolies and restrictive trade practices facilitated the corruption. The lack of economic freedom led to abuse of the system.
  • Necessities of development overshadowed vigilance procedures.
  • Political system
  • Use of black money in elections to win at any cost (breaching statutory spending limits) creates the need for the recovery of that cost through malpractices.
  • Election funding is not transparent making it prone to the usage of black money and funding based on quid pro quo.
  • It leads to crony capitalism, an unholy nexus between politicians and corporates.
  • Criminalization of politics- when the rule-breakers become rule makers, the casualty is the rule of law.
  • Economic structure
  • Low levels of formalization (merely 10%) of the economy breed black money.
  • Stringent compliance rules for entry and exit for businesses result in bribery.
  • Unequal distribution of wealth- Transparency International data suggests that corruption is directly proportionate to the economic gap in a nation.
  • Faulty process of liberalisation- we first opened ourselves to the world and then took to legislation for various sectors like FDI, resource auction making it easy for foreign companies to manipulate the system.
  • Legal lacunae
  • Archaic laws like IPC 1860 don’t capture the complexities of administration and lead to the escape of wrongdoers.
  • narrows down the definition of corruption,
  • increases the burden of proof
  • prior approval from the government for inquiry or investigation of officials
  • Lacunae in the Lokpal act and delays in the appointments both at the state and central levels.
  • Dilution of the RTI act and political misuse of CBI and other agencies.
  • Loopholes give discretionary powers to the officials making working prone to corruption.
  • Lack of resources, funding, infrastructure and manpower in the vigilance institutions.
  • Lack of incorporation of standard practices by organizations like Banks, sports organizations which results in multi-billion-rupee scams. E.g. Punjab National Bank scam, commonwealth scam.
  • Delays and dying away from the corruption cases at the judicial level due to lack of evidence or faulty investigation. It also showcases politician-public servant-judicial (lower levels) nexus.
  • Lack of protection to good Samaritans
  • Targeting of upright and non-corrupt officials and rewards to corrupt officials
  • Near non-existent whistleblowers protection
  • Social problems
  • The mindset of the citizenry that doesn’t look at the problems seriously and even accepts it as a necessary part of the system.
  • Illiteracy, poverty, and inability to understand complex procedures.
  • Increasing consumerism in the new middle class that is ready to bribe to get things done.
  • Failure of social morality, education system to inculcate the values.

What are the impacts of corruption?

  • Hindrances to developmental process
  • loss of wealth due to corruption and siphoning away of taxpayers’ money leave little to spend in the social sector.
  • many developmental projects cannot be completed or get dragged for decades because of red-tapism, corruption cases raising the expenditure
  • out of pocket expenditure by the poor to get things done creates a vicious cycle of poverty.
  • Corruption in the social sectors like PDS, health and education schemes lead to demographic disadvantage.
  • It misdirects developmental strategy from decentralized, directed projects to big-budget projects on account of crony capitalism.
  • Economic loss
  • Undermines ease of doing business
  • Corruption in the public services sector carries high risks for conducting good businesses. Companies are likely to unwanted red tapes, petty corruption, bribes for finalizing any procedures or deals.
  • Wrong allocation policies result in undervaluation of resources like Coal blocks, Hydrocarbon projects, Spectrum allocation. Eg. 2G scam, Coalgate. This mismanagement of resources leads to environmental degradation and exploitation.
  • Low tax collection due to tax authority- corporate corruption. It results in low spending in the capital building.
  • Corruption of financial sector officials like Banks, the stock market erodes the strength of the economy. E.g. PNB scam, PMC scam, Harshad Mehta scandal
  • Rising black money artificially enhances the market capability which is always at the risk of collapse.
  • Harmful to national security
  • We have a history of corruption in defense procurement and consequent litigation. It undermines the preparedness of the armed.
  • Corruption in the border security establishment creates problems of terrorist infiltration. Illegal migration has caused the issue of NRC implementation
  • Social sector losses
  • Corruption in government projects targeting poor and vulnerable section of the society increases the economic gap between the rich and the poor
  • Corruption is always paid by the poor. The loss of exchequer by the big scams are always recovered by higher taxes. It hampers intergenerational parity in taxation.
  • The corrupt system denies the poor a chance to improve their status rendering them eternally poor
  • On the political front, corruption is a major obstacle to democracy and the rule of law.
  • It then leads to the loss of legitimacy of the political systems and gives free hand to non-state actors. E.g. Left-wing extremism
  • Judicial corruption too undermines its legitimacy.

Way forward

There is a need for windfall reforms in each and every section of the system to fight the menace. Every aspect of governance must be improved for efficiency, economy, and effectiveness .

  • Barring the criminals from even participating in the elections as suggested by the election commission.
  • Imposing limits on the overall expenditure of the political parties.
  • Making state funding of elections a reality.
  • Empowering ECI by giving legal force to MCC and making paid news a criminal offence.
  • Strengthening of autonomous institutions
  • Protecting the autonomy of CIC-giving him a constitutional status
  • Provision of required manpower, infrastructure, training of vigilance agencies
  • Eliminate overlapping of jurisdiction- e.g. Lokpal and CBI
  • Administrative reforms
  • Establishing the Civil Service Board to curb the excessive political control over the administration
  • Reducing the hierarchy levels in the governments
  • Conducting periodic sensitivity training for the civil servants
  • Simplifying the disciplinary proceedings and strengthening preventive vigilance within the departments to ensure corrupt civil servant do not occupy the sensitive position
  • Police and judicial reforms- implementation of Prakash Singh recommendations
  • Governance reforms
  • e-gov apart from advancing the good governance objectives of accountability and transparency also seeks to reduce the manual interface between state and citizen thus preventing the incidences of bribery
  • Drives like Digital India projects like Government e-Marketplace must be implemented.
  • Enactment of the right to service act. E.g. Rajasthan social accountability bill
  • Economic reforms
  • Negating legal lacunae in banking, stock market legislations.
  • Improving corporate governance by implementing corporate governance committee reports
  • Formalisation of the economy
  • Refining and speedy implementation of GST
  • Social sector improvements

As Transparency International chairman Delia Ferreira Rubio says, “People’s indifference is the best breeding ground to the corruption”. citizen empowerment is a basic need in the fight against corruption

  • Awareness of citizenry by training them in RTI act, Citizens charter, social audits.
  • Increasing democratization of the masses.
  • Curriculum reforms to inculcate values even in higher education by which youngsters acquire high standards of ethical mindset.

Integrity, transparency, and fight against corruption have to be part of the culture. They must be thought of as fundamental values of the society we live in. corruption should not be seen as cancer to be eliminated root and branch for now. A practical approach would be to see it at obsession to be cured.  An incremental approach to the problem will lead to an achievable target-setting and faster completion. People should be aware that they can change the system. India against corruption movement of 2011 was not the last fight as we have seen and it cannot be either. There has to be continuous checks and balances in the system. Corruption can be tackled effectively. But it needs homegrown solutions that eliminate indigenous problems.

  • India has dropped to 82nd position in 2021, five places down from 77th rank last year, in a global list that ranks countries based on business bribery risks. The list by TRACE, an anti-bribery standard-setting organization, measures business bribery risk in 194 countries, territories, and autonomous and semi-autonomous regions.
  • A strict anti-corruption law is “necessary” because corruption is hollowing out the country, the Centre told a five-judge constitution bench of the Supreme Court, which was considering whether public servants can be prosecuted for bribery if bribe givers fail to record their statements or turn hostile.

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CORRUPTION IN INDIA The development of India and its people and the future is irreparably destroyed due to the massive corruption, bribery and influence peddling. The rule of law is ignored. India is faced with absolute lawlessness, no one is safe and no one’s property is safe. The Higher Judiciary to take stern action against the corrupt politicians, executives and the who’s who of India. In pandemic the leaders have failed its people and caused massive death. Ramesh Mishra Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

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  • Corruption Essay

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Essay on Corruption

Corruption refers to any act performed by individuals or a group in lieu of some form of bribes. Corruption is considered to be a dishonest and criminal act. If proven, Corruption can lead to Legal Punishments. Oftentimes the act of Corruption comprises the rights and privileges of some. It is very hard to find a definition that takes into account all the characteristics and aspects of Corruption. However, as responsible citizens of the Nation, we all must be aware of the true meaning and manifestation of Corruption in its every form so that whenever we come across it we can raise our voice against it and fight for justice. 

Place and Process of Corruption

Corruption is very common in government or private offices. The most common acts of Corruption involve some form of Bribery. Bribery involves some use of improper favours and gifts exchanged for personal gains of some sort. Moreover, Corruption is often found to be intertwined with embezzlement. Corruption can take place in many ways and in any public and private office. It is observed that most people in a position of power or authority are more likely to be involved in corrupt acts.  

The actual reasons behind Corruption are believed to be greed and selfishness. Bribery can include a range of favours like money, gifts, company shares, sexual favours, entertainment, political benefits as well as personal gain. One or more of such favors can inspire people to indulge in Corruption and preferential treatment and also inspire them to overlook criminal activities. 

Embezzlement, on the other hand, is another form of Corruption. An embezzlement is an act of withholding or concealing information about personal assets for the purpose of illegal trading or threat. Embezzlement generally involves people who were entrusted with the assets in question in the first place. Apart from being an act of Corruption, embezzlement is also an act of financial fraud. 

Another important form of Corruption is the graft. It is a global form of Corruption. It is also one of the most noteworthy and widespread corrupt practices in existence. Grafting refers to illegally using a politician's authority to achieve personal gains or goals. An eminent Example of this would be politically influential people misdirecting public funds to meet their own selfish needs.

Another important form of Corruption is extortion. Extortion means obtaining property, money or services through illegal means. Extortion takes place by taking advantage of individuals through coercion, threats or influence. It is very similar to blackmail. One of the oldest forms of Corruption is nepotism and favoritism. Both of these practices involve people being favored for a position or task due to his or her filial or familial status or ties. 

Another form of favoritism includes influence peddling. In this case, one's influence on people in power is used to get work done. The last form of Corruption is an abuse of discretion, in this type the person is power uses his or her authority to bend legal proceedings.

How to End Corruption? 

Corruption not only hinders working in an organization but also affects the economy of a country and the efficiency of various services. To stop Corruption, the government must take stricter measures. Existing laws must be strictly implemented and if the need arises, new laws are introduced. Workplaces should be strictly monitored to prevent any unethical exchange of favors. Only an end to small forms of Corruption can result in a cumulative effect and bring a significant change in Society. 

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FAQs on Corruption Essay

1. How to write an essay on Corruption?

To write an essay on Corruption, the writer needs to have an understanding and get some research done on the topic. After they know something about the topic, a broad topic line and the layout of the essay can be figured out based on the number of words required to write the essay. Students can then start writing by giving a quirky and compelling headline that captures the reader's attention. After giving the headline, come the major and most important paragraph of the essay, that is, the introduction of the essay. The introduction sets the feel of the essay and should be written keeping that in mind. 

Most people who will see the essay will go through the headline and the introduction paragraph and this will set the impression if the reader will read the complete essay or not. Students can then move on to writing three to four paragraphs or more in the body part where they can explain more about Corruption, why it happens and how to solve the problem of Corruption. This will be the main content part of the essay. Then the student can conclude the essay with a nice conclusion which the reader will take with them, it should include the gist of the whole article and its important points. This is how students can write an essay on Corruption. They can also refer to Vedantu's website where they can find essays on Corruption and other topics that they can use or refer to.

2. How to prepare to write an Exam?

Essays are a form of creative writing which is often tested in Exams for a good weightage of marks. Creative writing is a skill and like all skills, it can also be learned. To write long-form content like this, where minimum word limits are given, it's necessary to note the information, one knows about the topic and then divide the topic in optimum layout to cover the maximum and minimum word limit. 

Any essay should be divided into 3 parts- The Introduction, The Body, and The Conclusion. The introduction of any essay is very important as a good introduction can really impress a teacher. The body contains the main facts, data, and explanation of the introduction. Conclusion concludes an essay with a complete list of the topic. Good words and proper use of grammar will give a different shine to your essay and the complete English Exam. 

Essay writing can be difficult for some students, but students should remember that essay writing is an easy and high-scoring area in an English Exam or test. Students can learn more about Essay Writing at Vedantu's official website where they can browse from various Examples of essays written by our best English teachers to help the students to get full marks in content writing. This is how students can write an essay in an Exam and get full marks.

3. Why does Corruption exist in Society?

Corruption is the venom that can destroy any Society. Tackling Corruption is indirectly tackling people's mindset and handling their needs by keeping the system fair and equal for everyone. The last decades have shown a lot of growth in the overall condition of the country but the Corruption rates have also sky-rocketed. Corruption can also exist because greedy people have a good network and contacts that get the work done.  Corruption can give one temporary control over their time but they should remember that they'll eventually be caught one day.

4. How to write a good body in an essay?

Essays are long-form creative writing exercises that can be often difficult for many students. The most time-consuming and biggest element of an essay is the body which comprises all the facts, explanations, and examples of the essay.  After writing a perfect and compelling introduction, the writer has to start the main heart and soul of the essay; the body. 

The body can be started by explaining the introduction statements and explaining one's opinion on the topic. These explanations and opinions can be backed up by some evidence, facts, or theories. That's how one can write a good body element in an essay. To study more about essay writing, one can check Vedantu's official website where they can browse many Examples and sample written essays on several topics by the best English teachers. Students can master the skill of essay writing with some practice and guidance.

5. What makes a good conclusion in an essay?

Essays are divided into 3 parts where the conclusion comes last after an introduction and the body. Introduction and body are important but the conclusion will decide how much the reader will take back with the conclusion is the concluding paragraph or paragraphs which need an essay with the gist of the complete essay. Unlike the introductory paragraph, which outlines the general idea of the essay, the conclusion should precisely confirm why one's thesis is correct using the facts from your supportive body paragraphs. That's why a conclusion is an important part of an essay and should be written that way. To learn more about essay writing, one can check out Vedantu's official website where they can find the format, Examples, and tips to write a good essay and a good conclusion. They'll find essays written on numerous topics by the best English teachers at Vedantu.

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Corruption In India Essay

English Icon

Corruption refers to dishonest or fraudulent behaviour by individuals in positions of power or authority, such as government officials, politicians, business leaders, or law enforcement officers. Corruption can take many forms, including bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, abuse of power, and fraud. Here are a few sample essays on corruption in India.

100 Words Essay On Corruption In India

200 words essay on corruption in india, 500 words essay on corruption in india, addressing the problem of corruption.

Corruption In India Essay

Corruption is a significant problem in India that has been prevalent for decades. It affects all levels of society, from the poorest to the richest. Corruption in India can take many forms, including bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, and misuse of public resources. Corruption in India has resulted in the misallocation of resources, poor governance, and a lack of accountability. It also leads to a loss of trust in public institutions, weakens the rule of law, and hinders economic development. Despite various efforts to curb corruption, it remains a significant challenge for India, requiring continued vigilance and strong political will to address this issue.

Corruption is a widespread problem in India that has been a matter of concern for several decades. It is a menace that plagues all levels of society, from the poorest to the richest. Corruption in India takes various forms, such as bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, and misuse of public resources. The root cause of corruption in India is a lack of transparency, accountability, and a weak legal system.

Consequences | Corruption in India has severe consequences on the country's social and economic development. It has resulted in the misallocation of resources, poor governance, and a lack of essential services to the people. Corruption has also undermined democracy and the rule of law, with political parties and leaders using corruption as a means to maintain power and control.

Measures | The Indian government has taken several measures to address corruption, such as setting up anti-corruption agencies, enacting laws and regulations, and promoting transparency and accountability in public institutions. However, corruption remains a significant challenge in India, requiring continued efforts and political will to combat.

Citizens also have a crucial role to play in fighting corruption by refusing to participate in corrupt practices, reporting corruption, and demanding accountability from their leaders. Addressing corruption in India requires a collective effort from all stakeholders, including the government, civil society, and citizens, to build a more transparent, accountable, and fair society.

Corruption has been a rampant problem in India for decades, plaguing all levels of society, from the poorest to the richest. Corruption in India takes many forms, such as bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, and misuse of public resources. It undermines the country's democratic institutions, weakens the rule of law, and has severe consequences on social and economic development.

Causes For Corruption

Lack of transparency in public institutions provides an environment conducive to corruption. When there is no transparency in government functioning, it is easier for officials to engage in corrupt practices without fear of detection or punishment.

The weak legal system in India is also a significant contributor to corruption. Corrupt officials can evade justice, and the lack of severe punishments acts as a deterrent to corrupt practices.

Political influence is another significant cause of corruption in India. Politicians use their power and influence to benefit themselves and their associates, often at the expense of the public interest.

Poverty and a lack of economic opportunities create an environment where corruption thrives. People in positions of power often exploit the vulnerable to engage in corrupt practices.

Despite various anti-corruption measures, a lack of political will to tackle corruption remains a significant challenge. Corruption often goes unchecked because of a lack of will to enforce laws and regulations.

Addressing the root causes of corruption in India requires a comprehensive approach that involves structural reforms, strengthening of institutions, and a change in societal attitudes towards corruption. It requires a concerted effort from all stakeholders, including the government, civil society, and citizens, to build a more transparent, accountable, and fair society.

Reducing corruption in India is a complex and challenging task that requires a multi-faceted approach. Here are some steps that can be taken to decrease corruption in India.

Strengthening institutions such as the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, and anti-corruption bodies can help reduce corruption. These institutions should be provided with adequate resources, training, and autonomy to perform their functions effectively.

Greater transparency in government functioning can help prevent corruption. Measures such as public disclosure of government contracts, budgets, and decision-making processes can help reduce opportunities for corruption.

Encouraging citizen participation and creating channels for feedback is another method that can help in the eradication of corruption. This can be done by promoting citizen engagement in decision-making processes, creating whistleblower protection laws, and establishing grievance redressal mechanisms.

Strict enforcement of laws and regulations is critical to reducing corruption. This requires political will to prosecute corrupt officials and to ensure that they are held accountable for their actions.

Promoting ethical leadership can help reduce corruption by ensuring that leaders at all levels of government are selected based on their integrity and track record of ethical behavior.

The use of technology can help reduce corruption. For example, e-governance systems, online portals for filing complaints, and digital payment systems can reduce opportunities for corruption.

Educating the public about the negative effects of corruption and promoting ethical behavior is crucial to reduce corruption. This can be done through awareness campaigns, education in schools and colleges, and public service announcements.

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Kerala CPI(M)’s ‘upright’ image takes a beating as corruption allegations galore

Media critic, on condition of anonymity, said never before the kerala unit of the cpi(m) has been caught in multiple issues to this extent..

Photo of Indo-Asian News Service

Thiruvananthapuram : With skeletons of corruption tumbling out of the Kerala unit of CPI(M)’s cupboard, the “upright and vocal” image of the ruling party appears to have taken a beating.

The man on the radar is none other than Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who is passing through his worst ever times after allegations of corruption against him and his family are flowing thick and fast.

Ever since the income tax department’s perusal of the papers of Kochi-based mining company CMRL came out in the open, his daughter Veena Vijayan has come under fire.

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Investigations have revealed that her company was paid Rs 1.72 crore for no services rendered and then began a war of words when first time Congress legislator Mathew Kuzhalnaden revealed much more and left the CPI(M) and its top brass running for cover.

Despite ten days of the news, neither Vijayan, nor Veena or her husband- State Minister for Tourism P.A.Mohammed Riyas has spoken a word on it.

TV channels also showed the party spokesperson K. Anilkumar walking out of news debates unable to either clarify or come out with convincing responses on questions on Veena’s IT firm.

And, if this wasn’t enough, came the news the other day of a 22-hour-long raid by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials at the residence of senior CPI(M) legislator and former State Minister of Cooperation A.C.Moideen.

The raid revealed that many benami loans disbursed by the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank Ltd in Thrissur- the home district of Moideen was on his instructions.

In an official release, the probe agency said they “conducted search operations under PMLA, 2002 on 22/08/2023 at five locations across the state of Kerala as part of investigation against benamis and beneficiaries who siphoned off bank funds of more than Rs 150 crore from the Karuvannur Service Cooperative Bank’.

What has come as a huge shocker to the party is Moideen being asked to appear at the Kochi office of ED on Thursday.

Meanwhile, on Friday, State Congress president K.Sudhakaran is appearing before a local court to testify against state CPI(M) secretary M.V.Govindan in a defamation case he has filed for his curt remarks linking Sudhakaran in a Pocso case.

A media critic, on condition of anonymity, said never before the Kerala unit of the CPI(M) has been caught in multiple issues to this extent.

“The otherwise vocal national leadership of the CPI(M) known for coming out with statements if this happens in other parties, has nothing to say about what’s happening to their party in Kerala. The sight of general secretary Sitaram Yechuri ducking the media when asked about the turn of events in the Kerala unit reveals the state of affairs in the CPI(M),” said the critic.

Even Vijayan, who is known for his very open attack on his detractors for the past six months, has not opened his mouth and when many thought he clear the air on all the allegations at the election rally at Puthuppally, his rare public appearance on Thursday evening in the past six months, but it did not happen.

So, now one has to wait till September 11th when the Assembly resumes its present session which was put on hold after the Puthupally by-election date was announced.

Puthupally will go to polls on September 5 and votes counted on September 8.

All eyes are on September 11, when the new Puthupally legislator gets sworn in. Taking into consideration the current scenario, chances of a Left candidate winning the polls appears slim.

And if it happens, then Vijayan will be breathing easy, if not only time will tell.

Get the news updates on WhatsApp & Telegram by subscribing to our channels. For all the latest India updates, download our app Android and iOS .

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Short Essay: Kerala

A couple of short essay examples on Kerala.

Table of Contents

Kerala Essay Example 1

Kerala, located in the southwestern region of India, is often referred to as “God’s Own Country” due to its stunning natural beauty and rich cultural heritage. This state is known for its lush forests, pristine beaches, and serene backwaters. The state is also famous for its traditional dance form, Kathakali, and Ayurvedic medicine. In this essay, we will explore the various aspects of Kerala in detail.

Kerala is a state with a rich history and culture. The state is home to various ancient temples, churches, and mosques that are famous for their unique architecture and religious significance. One of the most famous temples in Kerala is the Sabarimala Temple, which is dedicated to Lord Ayyappa. The temple attracts millions of devotees every year, especially during the annual Mandala Pooja festival. Apart from religious sites, Kerala is also known for its beautiful hill stations like Munnar, which are home to vast tea plantations and offer a refreshing break from the hustle and bustle of the city. The state’s rich culture is also reflected in its cuisine, which includes a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes like dosa, idli, and seafood.

Kerala is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, which attracts tourists from all over the world. The state has a long coastline, which is dotted with pristine beaches like Kovalam, Varkala, and Cherai. These beaches offer a perfect place to relax and unwind and indulge in activities like swimming, sunbathing, and surfing. Kerala is also known for its serene backwaters, which are a network of interconnected canals, lagoons, and lakes that run parallel to the coast. These backwaters offer a unique way to explore the state’s natural beauty by taking a leisurely boat ride through the waterways. The state is also home to several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks like Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary and Silent Valley National Park, which are home to a variety of flora and fauna.

Kerala is also famous for its traditional art forms like Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, and Theyyam, which are an integral part of the state’s cultural heritage. Kathakali is a highly stylized dance form that combines elements of drama, dance, and music. It is characterized by elaborate costumes, colorful makeup, and facial expressions that depict the emotions of the characters. Mohiniyattam is a classical dance form that originated in Kerala and is known for its graceful movements and intricate footwork. Theyyam is a ritualistic dance form that is performed in temples and is believed to possess divine powers. Ayurveda, the traditional system of medicine, is also widely practiced in Kerala and is known for its holistic approach to healing.

Kerala is a state that offers a unique blend of natural beauty, rich culture, and traditions. From its stunning beaches and serene backwaters to its ancient temples and traditional art forms, Kerala has something to offer for everyone. The state’s cuisine, architecture, and history reflect its diverse cultural influences, making it a must-visit destination for anyone interested in exploring India’s rich heritage.

Kerala Essay Example 2

Kerala is a beautiful state located in the southwestern region of India. Known for its lush green landscapes, stunning beaches, backwaters, and hill stations, it is a popular tourist destination. The state has a rich cultural heritage, with traditional dance forms, music, and cuisine that are unique to the region. In this essay, I will explore the natural beauty and cultural richness of Kerala, highlighting its key features and attractions.

Kerala’s natural beauty is unparalleled, with its stunning beaches, backwaters, and hill stations. The state is home to some of the most beautiful beaches in India, including Kovalam, Varkala, and Bekal. These beaches offer breathtaking views of the Arabian Sea and are perfect for relaxing and soaking up the sun. Kerala’s backwaters, a network of lagoons, lakes, and canals, are another major attraction. Visitors can take a leisurely boat ride through the backwaters, enjoying the serene surroundings and getting a glimpse of local life. The state’s hill stations, including Munnar, Wayanad, and Thekkady, offer a cool respite from the tropical heat and are known for their tea and spice plantations.

Kerala’s rich cultural heritage is evident in its traditional dance forms, music, and cuisine. One of the most popular dance forms in the state is Kathakali, a highly stylized form of dance-drama that tells stories from Hindu mythology. Another popular dance form is Mohiniyattam, which is characterized by graceful movements and intricate footwork. Kerala’s music is also unique, with the state being home to several traditional instruments such as the chenda, mridangam, and thavil. Kerala’s cuisine is known for its use of coconut, rice, and spices, and is a must-try for any visitor to the state.

Kerala also has a rich history and is home to several historical sites and monuments. The state has a long tradition of Ayurvedic medicine, with several Ayurvedic centers offering treatments and therapies to visitors. Some of the must-visit historical sites in the state include the Mattancherry Palace in Kochi, the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram, and the Bekal Fort in Kasaragod. Kerala is also home to several wildlife sanctuaries and national parks, including the Periyar National Park, which is known for its elephant sightings.

In conclusion, Kerala is a state that is blessed with natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and a fascinating history. Whether you are looking for stunning beaches, serene backwaters, or cool hill stations, Kerala has something to offer everyone. The state’s traditional dance forms, music, and cuisine are unique and a must-experience for any visitor. Kerala is a destination that should be on every traveler’s bu

Kerala Essay Example 3

Kerala, located in the southern part of India, is a state that is known for its scenic beauty, rich cultural heritage and diverse landscapes. The state is also renowned for its unique cuisine, which is a blend of traditional and modern flavors. This essay will explore the various aspects of Kerala, including its natural beauty, cultural heritage and cuisine.

Kerala is known for its breathtaking natural beauty, which attracts tourists from all over the world. The state is home to numerous beaches, backwaters, and hill stations. Some of the famous beaches in Kerala include Kovalam, Cherai, and Varkala. These beaches offer stunning views of the Arabian Sea and are perfect for a relaxing holiday. The backwaters of Kerala are another major attraction for tourists. The backwaters are a network of lagoons, lakes, and canals that are connected to the Arabian Sea. The backwaters offer a unique experience of cruising through the picturesque waterways, surrounded by lush greenery. Some of the famous backwater destinations in Kerala include Alleppey, Kumarakom, and Kollam. The hill stations of Kerala are also worth exploring. Munnar, located in the Western Ghats, is one such hill station that is known for its tea plantations, misty hills and serene atmosphere.

Apart from its natural beauty, Kerala is also renowned for its rich cultural heritage. The state is home to various classical dance forms, music, and traditional festivals. Kathakali, Mohiniyattam, and Koodiyattam are some of the famous classical dance forms of Kerala. These dance forms are characterized by their intricate hand gestures, facial expressions, and colorful costumes. Similarly, traditional music forms like Sopana Sangeetham and Thayambaka are also popular in Kerala. The state is also known for its traditional festivals like Onam, Vishu, and Thrissur Pooram. These festivals are celebrated with great enthusiasm and involve colorful processions, traditional dances, and music.

Kerala is also famous for its unique cuisine, which is a blend of traditional and modern flavors. The cuisine of Kerala is characterized by the use of coconut, spices, and seafood. Some of the famous dishes of Kerala include Appam, Puttu, and Idiyappam. These dishes are usually served with vegetable or meat curries. The state is also known for its seafood delicacies like Karimeen Pollichathu, which is a popular fish preparation. The cuisine of Kerala is also influenced by the neighboring states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

In conclusion, Kerala is a state that is known for its natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and unique cuisine. The state offers a unique experience to tourists who are looking for a relaxing holiday, cultural immersion, and gastronomic delights. Kerala is truly a paradise on earth and a must-visit destination for anyone who wants to explore the beauty of India.

About Mr. Greg

Mr. Greg is an English teacher from Edinburgh, Scotland, currently based in Hong Kong. He has over 5 years teaching experience and recently completed his PGCE at the University of Essex Online. In 2013, he graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a BEng(Hons) in Computing, with a focus on social media.

Mr. Greg’s English Cloud was created in 2020 during the pandemic, aiming to provide students and parents with resources to help facilitate their learning at home.

Whatsapp: +85259609792

[email protected]

corruption in kerala essay

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PM Modi interview: ‘People tired of family-first politics,’ PM claims saffron sweep in South India

Prime minister narendra modi discusses bjp's performance in non-bjp states and south india, emphasizing service to all indians. he criticizes corruption and dynastic politics in southern states, highlighting the need for change..

Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about the BJP's performance in non-BJP states and South India. (HT_PRINT)

Before the fourth phase of polling, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held discussions with Hindustan Times' s R Sukumar, Shishir Gupta, and Sunetra Choudhury regarding the Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) performance in non-BJP states and South India .

Also Read: Lok Sabha Elections: Shashi Tharoor says BJP will draw a blank in 3 of 4 southern states, keeps Karnataka out

Speaking on what needs to be done to gain power in the Southern states, PM Modi said that we (BJP) do not subscribe to a mindset of conquest. “We are working with a feeling of service towards 140 crore Indians. For us, every part of India has to be served," he added.

Modi stressed that the BJP's connection with the people of South India, including Tamil Nadu and Kerala, is not new. “We’ve dedicated ourselves to serving the people there, regardless of whether we are in government or not. Our karyakartas have been working selflessly for decades, many even sacrificed their lives in the process," the PM said.

Problems of South

PM Modi explained that people are tired of the corruption, appeasement, and family-first politics of the INDI Alliance seen in various southern states.

He said, “In Andhra Pradesh, there is a breakdown of governance threatening the future of the youth in the state."

Also Read: PM Modi interview: Tsunami of ‘Jan Samarthan’ for BJP… seats to significantly increase in West Bengal, Odisha, Kerala

“In Telangana and Karnataka, too, a nexus of corruption has been established with Congress in the lead. In a matter of a few months, Congress has managed to hollow out the public treasury and bring the states closer to a state of bankruptcy," the PM said, adding, “Same is the case in Tamil Nadu, where there is corruption and dynastic politics."

Also Read: Telangana News: Konda Vishweshwar Reddy, BJP's richest Lok Sabha candidate takes pride in cleaning school toilets

It is to be further noted that PM Modi has undertaken approximately 20 trips this year to five southern states: Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana. Collectively, these states account for roughly a quarter of the 543 seats in the lower house of parliament.

Of particular focus for Modi is Tamil Nadu, the southernmost state, where the BJP failed to secure any of the 39 seats in the 2019 election. During a recent visit to Tamil Nadu, Modi donned the traditional white silk veshti and utilized artificial intelligence software to translate his speeches from Hindi to Tamil in real time.

Also Read: Will BJP's fate change? How Tamil Nadu, other southern states may steer destiny of PM Modi's ‘Abki baar 400 paar’ goal

The PM highlighted the ‘Modi ki Guarantee’, saying, “On the other hand, people have witnessed how effectively Modi ki Guarantee works. They have seen our work, our commitment to their well-being, and our dedication to bring inclusive development, clean governance, and transparency. This time around, our performance will be unprecedented."

“I see a strong sense of positivity and enthusiasm for the BJP . Our message of development and progress is resonating strongly with the people of South India," PM Modi further added.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, out of the 127 seats across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, the BJP managed to secure only 29 seats. Among these, 25 were won in Karnataka and four in Telangana. However, during that election cycle, the party did not secure any seats in Tamil Nadu, Kerala, or Andhra Pradesh.

(This story appeared first in Hindustan Times)

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Australians have had a gutful of corruption, but will the latest promises of whistleblower reform be enough?

Analysis Australians have had a gutful of corruption, but will the latest promises of whistleblower reform be enough?

A side-by-side image shows David McBride in pale blue linen shirt and Richard Boyle in suit and patterned tie

Whether by accident or design, in the same week the government made submissions to its whistleblower reform inquiry public, World Press Freedom Day reminded everyone of the importance of free, fair and informed societies — something whistleblowers play a huge role in. 

In updated rankings published by Reporters Without Borders on Friday, Australia ranked 39th in the world for press freedom — dropping 12 places in just 12 months.

That was last week.

This week opens with ex-military lawyer David McBride's sentencing after he pleaded guilty in November to leaking sensitive classified military information to the ABC that formed the basis of the Afghan Files because, he said, the law as it stood for whistleblowers left him with no other choice.

The next whistleblower to stand trial is Australian Tax Office (ATO) whistleblower Richard Boyle in September , after he exposed a disturbing culture within the organisation in 2017, which led to a series of reforms.

Both men have spent years waiting for judgment day, unable to work and having to battle financial issues, including funding the legal battles being waged by the Commonwealth.

Reform promises starting to look a little hollow

Against this backdrop and a growing public interest in whistleblower protections, the government promised to make whistleblower reforms a priority.

In November last year, the same week McBride pleaded guilty, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus released a consultation paper on whistleblower reform , specifically on how to improve the effectiveness of the Public Interest Disclosure Act for reporting potential wrongdoing, as well as whether there was a was a need to establish a separate Whistleblower Protection Authority or appoint a dedicated whistleblower commissioner.

But that priority is starting to look a little hollow and there's a chance it might not happen until after the next election — unless the government quickens its pace.

While governments like to be seen to be supporters of whistleblowers, including holding inquiries, issuing press releases and making promises ahead of elections, when it comes to the crunch, perception and reality are two different things and tough talk often becomes hostage to excruciating long delays or watered down reforms.

For instance, a proposal to set up a Whistleblower Protection Authority was first raised by the Greens in the early 1990s at a Senate committee into whistleblowing. It resurfaced in 2017 at another parliamentary inquiry into whistleblowing and again in 2019 when Labor promised that if it was elected it would establish such an authority and also set up a whistleblower rewards scheme.

"Labor doesn't want to see good people punished for doing the right thing," the then-shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus said in the 2019 press release.

Five years on, a whistleblower authority and commissioner is once again being discussed.

We got a National Anti-Corruption Commission, but is it enough?

The overriding theme of some of the submissions released last week is that our whistleblowing protection laws are not fit for purpose and need updating. Some call for a separate independent agency to help fill the gaps and encourage more whistleblowing.

Australians have had a gutful of corruption in the public and private sector and understand the crucial role of whistleblowers. Sports rorts, Robodebt … the list goes on.

It is why they backed a federal anti-corruption agency at the last election, something both sides of politics had resisted in one way or another for years.

The new National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) was born in late 2022, but it didn't include a whistleblower protection commissioner — something crossbenchers had pushed for in their anti-corruption bills introduced in 2018 and 2020.

While the NACC includes some protections of whistleblowers, its latest submission highlights some glaring shortcomings.

Released last week, the NACC says: "[It] makes this submission given the importance of whistleblowers in combating corruption, and thus our interest in ensuring that anyone who reports suspected corrupt conduct to the Commission or elsewhere has appropriate protection from liability and reprisals. Such protections facilitate, support and encourage the reporting of corrupt conduct by those most likely to have information about it."

It says to date, 77 per cent of referrals received by the NACC have been assessed as not raising a corruption issue. "This raises a question whether a referral to the commission which does not in fact raise a corruption issue attracts the protections," it says.

"As such, it is uncertain whether Part 4 of the NACC Act provides protection to persons who make referrals which do not in fact meet the threshold in the definition of 'corruption issue' in the Act. This could mean that a disclosure which does not in fact raise a corruption issue may not attract the protections," the submission says.

It says the NACC Act doesn't provide protection for communications a whistleblower may have had with professional advisers, either before, during or after making a disclosure, for advice or support.

"The commission recommends that the NACC Act be amended so that disclosures to professional advisers are protected provided there is a relationship of confidentiality between the discloser and the adviser, and the disclosure is made under that relationship for the purpose of obtaining advice or assistance in connection with the disclosure or the disclosure process."

There are other gaps that need to be addressed.

A man wearing a beanie holding a sign that says 'Stop prosecuting whistleblowers' outside an ACT law court.

And when it comes to the elephant in the room of addressing proper whistleblower reforms, such as introducing a rewards scheme for whistleblowers and a standalone whistleblower protection agency, the NACC squibs.

On rewards, it says it is "disinclined to be supportive of a rewards scheme".

And as far as a separate protection agency is concerned, while it concedes a separate agency could serve as a "first port of call" for potential whistleblowers given "the current fragmented legislative approach to protected reporting at the Commonwealth level", it then backtracks and says it "sees force" in a recent review of Queensland's Public interest Disclosure Act, which was not "persuaded of the efficacy of a standalone body, and accepted the need for caution against a new body in an already crowded integrity landscape — an observation that applies equally to the Commonwealth".

Like the Queensland review, the NACC says it has concerns about "potential conflicts of interest in housing all the relevant functions, including provision of advice and support, in one agency, and questions whether the number of cases justifies the requisite resourcing to establish such an agency".

It believes similar benefits could be gained by offering more support for whistleblowers.

It's an attitude that will provide a comfortable fig leaf to those politicians and bureaucrats who want to be seen backing whistleblower protections, but not too much.

For potential whistleblowers and those who work with whistleblowers, or have been advocating for change, it is a disappointing stance from an entity formed to investigate corruption, part of which would never come to light without whistleblowers coming forward.

As Kieran Pender, from the Human Rights Law Centre posted on X on Friday:

"Today is World Press Freedom Day. It is a reminder of the importance of journalism to our democracy. But journalists cannot do their job without whistleblowers … Prosecuting whistleblowers who expose government wrongdoing is undemocratic and undermines press freedom. The Albanese government should stop prosecuting whistleblowers and instead get on with fixing whistleblowing laws and establishing a whistleblower protection authority."

  • X (formerly Twitter)

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COMMENTS

  1. This is the most corrupt, inefficient government Kerala has seen

    It is the most corrupt and inefficient government Kerala has ever seen. Q/ But the LDF swept the recent local self-government elections. A/ The LSG elections are a totally different ball game. Most voters vote for someone they personally know. But assembly elections are an out and out political battle.

  2. Essay on Corruption for Students and Children

    Essay on Corruption - Corruption refers to a form of criminal activity or dishonesty. It refers to an evil act by an individual or a group. Most noteworthy, this act compromises the rights and privileges of others. Furthermore, Corruption primarily includes activities like bribery or embezzlement. However, Corruption can take place in many ways.

  3. Politics apart, troubles aplenty for Kerala

    Challenges await the new government in areas such as development, health and harmony. Kerala faces several serious challenges, which political parties seldom focus on as objects of resolution and ...

  4. LSGD most corrupt among Kerala departments

    06 Feb 2023, 1:55 am. 2 min read. KOCHI: The Local Self-Government Department (LSGD) seems to be the most corrupt among the state departments as the most vigilance cases in the past six years have ...

  5. 56 corrupt officials held by vigilance last year in Kerala

    In 2022, as many as 56 government servants were arrested after being caught red-handed by vigilance sleuths. The anti-graft agency also mounted 1,715 raids last year, with an average of 4.7 cases ...

  6. Cancer-like corruption in Kerala; stopped often, but sure will return

    Papers are not sparse around in piles of files but in computer-collected data. The move is to end the hassles for people reaching offices for vital needs. ... This is the mainspring for corruption turning a mainstay in Kerala, as nobody bats an eyelid into the issue while the culprits get a noble name in return that most pious in service are ...

  7. Kerala Anti-Corruption Index ranks state's Local Self Govt Department

    The Kerala Anti-Corruption Index (KAI) shows that the LSGD accounts for 10.34% of corruption among the various state departments. The Revenue Department with 9.24% share in overall corruption ...

  8. RTI reveals revenue department as most corrupt in Kerala

    Revenue officials topped the list of government employees arrested by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) over the last five years in Kerala. Of the 151 government employees who were ...

  9. The most insightful stories about Corruption In Kerala

    Read stories about Corruption In Kerala on Medium. Discover smart, unique perspectives on Corruption In Kerala and the topics that matter most to you like P S Remesh Chandran, Sahyadri Malayalam ...

  10. Corruption has become order of the day, says Kerala ...

    Published - December 14, 2021 07:52 pm IST - HYDERABAD. Principal Secretary of Government of Kerala Raju Narayana Swamy opined that corruption has become order of the day. "In a system there ...

  11. Why is corruption in Kerala low? : r/india

    Due to this early awareness - the scope of corruption in Kerala was and is much lower that rest of India. Unlike what you see in Bihar - where feudalism and castism is rife, and most of the poorer people are illiterate. The only reason why there is political awareness in Bihar is due to the cast divide, and the movement by people like JP ...

  12. A Forgotten Famine and the Rise of Communism in Kerala

    A Forgotten Famine and the Rise of Communism in Kerala. Food shortages in Travancore during the Second World War led to tens of thousands of deaths. The scale of the mismanagement of relief wore thin the legitimacy of princely rule, setting the stage for the communists' rise to power. Aditya Balasubramanian. October 18, 2023.

  13. PDF Corruption in India: Bridging Research Evidence and Policy Options

    corruption is widely perceived to be an endemic phenomenon in the Indian ... Fraud Case 2008-10 3 Financial Uttar Pradesh 24,000 Private fraud Kerala Solar Panel Scam 2010-13 4 Financial Kerala 7 Private fraud Rice Export Scam 2008-09 2 Food grains N/A 2,500 Value loss to govt. Uttar Pradesh Food Grain Scam 2002-10 9 Food grains Uttar ...

  14. PDF Recent Developments in Kerala Police G.P

    According to some, corruption in the police has increased. The biggest reform in the eyes of some is the reform that will provide to the public an efficient and honest police cover. Recently, the Government of Kerala took another great initiative in the field of police reforms. A Government of Kerala's Order dated November 18, 2003 sets up a ...

  15. Essay on Corruption for Students and Children in English

    Long Essay on Corruption 500 Words in English. Long Essay on Corruption is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10. Corruption is the abuse of entrusted power by a person or organization for personal gain. It is an act of dishonesty and a criminal offense. An act of corruption includes the exploitation of the rights and privileges of others.

  16. Corruption in India: Status, Causes & Impacts

    This topic of "Corruption in India: Status, Causes & Impacts" is important from the perspective of the UPSC IAS Examination, which falls under General Studies Portion.. What is Corruption? Transparency International (TI) defines corruption as "The abuse of entrusted power for private gain. It can be classified as grand, petty and political, depending on the amounts of money lost and the ...

  17. Corruption Essay

    Essay on Corruption. Corruption refers to any act performed by individuals or a group in lieu of some form of bribes. Corruption is considered to be a dishonest and criminal act. If proven, Corruption can lead to Legal Punishments. Oftentimes the act of Corruption comprises the rights and privileges of some. It is very hard to find a definition ...

  18. Corruption Essay in English

    Corruption is the misuse of power for personal gain. It can take many forms, such as bribery, embezzlement, influence peddling, nepotism, and patronage. Corruption undermines good governance, ethical values, and public trust. It leads to injustices, inefficiencies, and a waste of resources.

  19. Corruption In India Essay

    500 Words Essay On Corruption In India. Corruption has been a rampant problem in India for decades, plaguing all levels of society, from the poorest to the richest. Corruption in India takes many forms, such as bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, and misuse of public resources. It undermines the country's democratic institutions, weakens the rule ...

  20. Corruption In India Essay

    The first essay is a long essay on Corruption In India of 400-500 words. This long essay about Corruption In India is suitable for students of class 7, 8, 9 and 10, and also for competitive exam aspirants. The second essay is a short essay on Corruption In India of 150-200 words. These are suitable for students and children in class 6 and below.

  21. Essay on Corruption in India: Historical, Types, & Examples

    The historical context of corruption in India is a nuanced narrative shaped by centuries of socio-political changes. Ancient India: Corruption, in various forms, can be traced back to ancient Indian kingdoms. Instances of bribery and misuse of power were evident, reflecting the human tendency to exploit positions of authority.

  22. Kerala CPI(M)'s 'upright' image takes a beating as corruption

    Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Thiruvananthapuram: With skeletons of corruption tumbling out of the Kerala unit of CPI (M)'s cupboard, the "upright and vocal" image of the ruling party appears to have taken a beating. The man on the radar is none other than Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan who is passing through his worst ever ...

  23. Land

    Current approaches to the provision of shelter, largely driven by national governments and/or the commercial private sector, continue to fall short of what is needed to reduce housing deficits. The number of people without access to adequate housing continues to grow, especially in cities of the Global South. Increasing attention is being paid to alternative models for organizing land and ...

  24. Campaign Finance and "Real" Corruption

    Abstract. Courts and commentators often assume that "real" corruption—quid pro quo corruption—is largely absent in modern American politics. But it isn't. In at least one important area, government contracting, quid pro quo exchanges remain common today. In this book chapter, I first survey the empirical literature establishing the ...

  25. Short Essay: Kerala

    Kerala Essay Example 2. Kerala is a beautiful state located in the southwestern region of India. Known for its lush green landscapes, stunning beaches, backwaters, and hill stations, it is a popular tourist destination. The state has a rich cultural heritage, with traditional dance forms, music, and cuisine that are unique to the region.

  26. PM Modi interview: 'People tired of..,' PM claims saffron sweep in

    In the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, out of the 127 seats across Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Telangana, and the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, the BJP managed to secure only 29 seats.

  27. Australians have had a gutful of corruption, but will the latest

    The new National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) was born in late 2022, but it didn't include a whistleblower protection commissioner — something crossbenchers had pushed for in their anti ...