he Prime Minister has said that the government is considering amendments to the prevention of corruption act to make it more stringent. 

Dr. Manmohan Singh said that government proposes to incorporate failure to prevent bribery as a new offence. 

Dr. Singh said that his government is examining how the act can be amended to protect honest public servants more effectively.

Dr. Singh elaborated that the amendment will fine tune the act to current international practices and meet the challenges of complexities of economic development. 

Inaugurating a two day conference of CBI and State Anti-corruption Bureau in New Delhi on Wednesday, Prime Minister asserted that the government is committed to create an effective legal frame work to tackle the menace of corruption. 

This menace he said is holding back the society and the nation. He advised CBI to use expertise of professionals while dealing with complex cases of corruption to ensure impartial probe. Dr. Manmohan Singh said with economic growth and globalisation newer methods are being adopted for corrupt practices.

Dr. Manmohan Singh asked CBI to upgrade skills and techniques to meet the new challenges.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh also told Police officers of investigating agencies that they are directly responsible for anti corruption efforts and asked them to work hard with fairness, honesty and fearlessness.

The Prime Minister said that direct Cash Transfers for beneficiaries and subsidies is a new method to minimize corruption, leakages and wastage.

 The Central Vigilance Commission has given an approval for setting up a National Association of central and state level anti-corruption bodies to suggest the best ways to check corruption in the country.

The proposed body will be closed on the lines of International Association of Anti-Corruption Authorities (IAACA), the global body on anti-corruption which facilitates implementation of the United Nations Convention against Corruption.The proposal came up for discussion during a meeting of Vigilance Study Circle in Kolkata yesterday.

Vigilance Commissioner R Srikumar said that the proposed body may discuss best practices being adopted by its members in a particular state and other anti-corruption measures.

n Russia, the anti-corruption campaigner Alexei Navalny has been charged with embezzlement in a case which he has described as "strange and absurd". Federal investigators in Moscow brought charges over a timber deal in the Kirov region in which he was involved as an unofficial adviser three years ago. The case was previously investigated and dropped by regional prosecutors. Mr Navalny, who was also ordered not to leave the country, suggested the new charges were aimed at discrediting him. 

Supporters of the anti-corruption lawyer, who led mass protests in Moscow against Russian leader Vladimir Putin this winter, demonstrated outside the offices of the Investigative Committee (SK) in Moscow, where he was charged today. Mr Navalny faces between five and 10 years in prison if convicted.

There are reports that South Africa's former police chief Jackie Selebi is to be freed early from his 15-year sentence for corruption on health grounds. Selebi, a former Interpol head, needs dialysis for kidney failure. He was jailed in 2010 after being found guilty of taking bribes from a drug dealer. Selebi's successor was also suspended last year on corruption

The Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, repeated his offer for talks with Taliban today and once again called upon the armed outfit to give up fighting, join the peace process and help rebuild their country.

President Karzai made the offer at a press conference in his Palace after returning home from Japan. He said that Taliban elusive( भटकाने वाला) leader Mullah Mohammad Omar can return home and begin political activities instead of fighting.

Taliban militants fighting the government had in the past conditioned any talks with the withdrawal of NATO-led troops from Afghanistan, a pre-condition unacceptable to both the Afghan government and the military alliance at the moment.

The international community has pledged 16 billion U.S. dollars to Afghanistan for the next four years. President Karzai at the press conference also said his government is determined to fight against corruption and ensure good governance.

The Madhya Pradesh government has sent a proposal to centre to sack suspended IAS officer Arvind Joshi. Joshi and his IAS wife Tinu Joshi were suspended following a raid at their Bhopal residence by the income tax officials in 2010. 

The income tax officers had recovered more than three crore rupees in cash from their residence. According to Income Tax Department sources suspended IAS couple and their relative’s unaccounted wealth has been assessed about 280 crore rupees.

Government orders fresh probe into the procurement of 12 helicopters for the Indian Air Force. The defence ministry in a statement said any complaint or allegation received will be the investigated and contractual provisions will be invoked in case any wrong doing is established.Earlier Talking to reporters outside Parliament Mr. A K Antony said, he would seriously pursue the inquiry into the allegations of corruption in the chopper deal. He directed his ministry officials to get a fresh report from the Indian Embassy in Rome following a media report alleging malpractices in the procurement of 12 helicopters for the VVIP Communication Squadrons of the Indian Air Force from Ms. Agusta Westland. 

There were media reports also in February 2012 about investigations undertaken by Italian authorities into alleged unethical dealings by Finmeccanica Italy. Following this, information was sought by MoD from the Indian Embassy in Rome. The Indian Embassy reported that Italian authorities were conducting preliminary investigations on allegations of financial malpractices occurring within Finmeccanica and its subsidiaries in general. There was no specific probe being conducted on India-related transactions. There is no clear indication at this stage whether the India related deal would be probed on the strength of preliminary investigations.According to Defence Ministry,the contract for the procurement of the helicopters contains the standard provisions against use of undue influence and employment of agents and payment of agency commission. A Pre-Contract Integrity Pact has also been signed between Agusta Westland and MoD.

Defence Ministry said,any such complaint or allegation received will be investigated and the contractual provisions invoked, in case any wrong doing is established, in addition to action that may be required under law. Earlier, Italian Defence company Finmeccanica said that its subsidiary Agusta Westland is not involved in any irregularity in the deal. 

The government has taken several measures to tackle the menace of corruption. These measures include reduction in pension up to 33 per cent of the government employee against whom major penalty of compulsory retirement has beem initiated, introduction of the Public Procurement Bill 2012 in the Parliament and a general advisory to all Ministries and Departments to carry out an exercise for putting in place regulating parameters for exercising of discretionary powers. 

This was informed by the Personnel, Public grievances and Pensions Minister, V Narayansamy in the Lok Sabha today. He said, a Group of Ministers, GoM, headed by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, has submitted its two reports, suggesting various measures to tackle the corruption. The GoM was constituted in January last year.

The government on Tuesday said the Central Bureau of Investigation, CBI has registered over 2,200 cases of corruption against government officials and individuals in the last three years.
In a written reply in the Lok Sabha,Minister of State for Personnel and Public Grievances V Narayanasamy said of the total 2,262 graft cases registered by CBI, maximum of 795 were filed in 2009, while 650 were registered in 2010. He said the Central Vigilance Commission has recommended disciplinary action against 869 officers in 2011 for their alleged involvement in corrupt practices.
Mr Narayansamy said that corruption thrives where transparency is lacking, procedures are complicated, discretion of a high order is permitted and where there is a demand supply gap. The Minister said that the Central Government is tackling these situations by encouraging greater transparency, introducing simplified procedures, reducing scope for discretion.

CBI is carrying out searches in Delhi and NCR in connection with TATRA case. Reports say some important documents have been recovered. The investigating agency carried our searches at the residences of two retired Army Officers and a senior Executive of the VECTRA Group. CBI in the morning registered a case for alleged irregularities in supply of TATRA trucks to Army through state owned BEML. 

The investigation agency is probing the Army Chief Gen. V.K. Singh's allegation of having been offered bribe. The investigation agency had earlier called Chairman of VECTRA Group Ravi Rishi for questioning in connection with the irregularities in the supply of TATRA trucks. The government had asked the Secretary, Defence Production to look into various issues raised in the complaint by Congress leader D. Hanumanthappa.

n order to ensure greater transparency and fast handling of corruption complaints, the Central Vigilance Commission, CVC is considering sending SMS alerts and emails to inform complainants about its status. It has asked Chief Vigilance Officers, CVOs of all government departments to use a state-of-the-art online application specifically developed for the purpose while dealing with people's grievances. 

At present, the Commission has anti-corruption hotline toll free number 1XXX-XX-0180 and 011-24651000 to lodge complaints related to unnecessary lingering of work in any department.

In Karnataka, an FIR is registered against former Karnataka Lokyukta Justice N Santosh Hegde and Criminal Investigation Department Chief R K Dutta by police on Thursday. The FIR was filed based on a complaint by IPS officer Hemant Nimbalkar that false allegations were made against him by Justice Hegde and Datta during their tenure in Lokayuktha office earlier, thereby causing acute mental agony.

He has charged that both Justice Hegde and Dutta had levelling false charges against him on possessing assets worth 250 crore rupees after Lokayukta officials conducted raids at his office and residence in 2009. Nimbalkar who is a Deputy Inspector General (Internal Security) now was exonerated by the Lokayuktha court, after the police filed a B report for want of sufficient evidence.

The Bihar government has ordered an inquiry into the alleged illegal mining in Nawada district. Announcing this in Patna today, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar said, economic offences wing will conduct the inquiry and submit the report soon.

The inquiry was ordered after ruling JD(U) MLA Pradeep Kumar alleged that volumes of mica worth crores of rupees were illegally brought out from the Bhankhap mines by local musclemen in connivance with state mines department officials.

The government ruled out any demoralization of the ISRO scientific community following the recent action against four of its former scientists. The action has in no way affected the space programme. Giving this information in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Minister of State in PMO, V. Narayanasamy said there is no proposal at present to revoke the action taken by the government on the four former ISRO scientists

The Pakistan Supreme Court has adjourned its hearing in the contempt of court case against Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani till the 12th of next month. The apex Court resumed its hearing in the case today. Yesterday, the contempt proceedings against Mr Gilani were adjourned as his counsel Aitzaz Ahsan was unwell. 

A seven-judge bench headed by Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk is hearing the contempt of court case against Mr Gilani for failing to act on the apex court's earlier orders to reopen graft cases against President Zardari in  Pakistan Supreme Court . The Pakistan government has refused to act, saying the Constitution gives the President immunity in Pakistan and abroad.

Recalling the incident, the minister said the Army chief had told him that one retired General Tejender Singh met him and offered 14 crore rupees bribe. He assured the House that action will be taken against the guilty, however powerful they may be. The minister said in the past he has taken action even on anonymous complaints from any quarters.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony asserted that utmost probity will be maintained in defence procurement in his Ministry.
He declared that no one, howsoever powerful, will be spared once the inquiry report is in hand. The CBI will fully scrutinize the whole issue now