Procurement Professional is the official publication of CIPS Australasia

#121 - A novel way to tackle corruption in India

05 Mar 2010

Many countries suffer from corruption. Some more than others of course, and some quite close to home even. But India certainly has its fair share and, given the size of the country, their fair share is a lot.

In an effort to combat corruption, the Indian government’s ploy of naming and shaming allegedly corrupt officials backfired, reports The Economist on 30 January 2010 http://www.economist.com/world/asia/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15393714  as all that was achieved was to neatly list exactly whom to bribe!

But, explains the article, a unique initiative by Indian not-for-profit group ‘5th Pillar’ takes a novel approach to the problem. Since 2007 they have printed over one million zero rupee banknotes and handed them out to lowly villagers who are often the hapless targets of dodgy officials and petty corruption. Handing over the notes when bribes are solicited embarrasses many officials into immediately going straight apparently. Anecdotes abound of officials returning cash and mending their ways. Amazing.

Perhaps the idea could catch on elsewhere perhaps; though not everyone might react in the same embarrassed way elsewhere in the world – Kabul for instance, or zero dollar greenbacks in the backstreets of LA maybe?

We would never need them here of course.

The Buyer – posted 5th March 2010