It is widely opined that the cause for corruption in India is its complicated system of licensing and taxation, with the government departments invariably functioning with opaque bureaucracy and discretionary powers. Often departments function with 'standard bribing norms'. Middlemen who collect the standard rates of bribes based on the land's registration value, have their document-assist offices around the offices of land registering authorities. Those buyers trying to register properties directly may have to wait for a whole day to get the job done if they are lucky and if not turned away for 'documentation errors'. The same practice is seen in many of the government offices including Regional Transport Offices. Though there are many departments in India that are seeing straightforward direct transactions having eliminated middlemen rapidly like the various passport issuing offices, we yet have some way to go with regard to a few other departments. Online single widows that are opening up facilitate adherence to transparent practices in India. Food Security Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has promulgated the Food Security Standards Act (FSSA) which encompasses many individual acts, rolled into a single compliance to FSSA. The online application and enrollment process for compliance by food companies and food operators has been already made simple ruling out chances for procrastination and malpractices.
Wal-Mart, in its Indian joint venture operations suspended a few managers this week in the midst of an ongoing probe into allegations of bribing officials. The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prohibits corporations of its origin to bribe foreign officials to gain or retain business abroad. The Indian Penal Code 171E underscores that 'whoever commits the offense of bribery shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.' The section provides that, 'bribery by Treating shall be punished with fine only' and 'Treating means, that form of bribery where the gratification consists in food, drink, entertainment or provision.'
Larry Burkett in his 'Business by the Book', writes, "Many studies over the last several years have attempted to measure the honesty index of the average American, both consumers and merchants, and the results are saddening. Consistently, the most acceptable kind of fraud is practised against insurance companies. Many businessmen surveyed felt that they had the right to collect from an insurance company once they had paid into a policy for several years. They saw insurance policies as something like annuities, from which a person who pays a certain amount in has the right to draw a certain amount out."
A company that is known for its universally infamous allegations on predatory pricing, supplier issues and debatable employee and labour relations, Wal-Mart may have got one fast act together in India - perhaps to establish a 'goody-goody' image readily!
Wal-Mart, in its Indian joint venture operations suspended a few managers this week in the midst of an ongoing probe into allegations of bribing officials. The US Foreign Corrupt Practices Act prohibits corporations of its origin to bribe foreign officials to gain or retain business abroad. The Indian Penal Code 171E underscores that 'whoever commits the offense of bribery shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to one year, or with fine, or with both.' The section provides that, 'bribery by Treating shall be punished with fine only' and 'Treating means, that form of bribery where the gratification consists in food, drink, entertainment or provision.'
Larry Burkett in his 'Business by the Book', writes, "Many studies over the last several years have attempted to measure the honesty index of the average American, both consumers and merchants, and the results are saddening. Consistently, the most acceptable kind of fraud is practised against insurance companies. Many businessmen surveyed felt that they had the right to collect from an insurance company once they had paid into a policy for several years. They saw insurance policies as something like annuities, from which a person who pays a certain amount in has the right to draw a certain amount out."
A company that is known for its universally infamous allegations on predatory pricing, supplier issues and debatable employee and labour relations, Wal-Mart may have got one fast act together in India - perhaps to establish a 'goody-goody' image readily!
- Dr. Gibson G. Vedamani
