Replace affidavits with self attestation: Centre
14 Feb 2015 1:02 AM GMT
"The decision to implement self attestation is most historic and landmark decisions since independence. A circular has gone to all states. Some of the states have approved it.
Some of the states are complacent. But we are pushing the practice of adopting self attestation in place of affidavits," Singh said at a seminar here.
The NDA government has been emphasising on replacing gazetted or notarised affidavits with self-attestations.
In this regard, all central government ministries have already been asked to review the existing requirements of affidavits and attested copy by gazetted officers in various forms in a phased-manner and wherever possible, make provision for self-certification of documents and abolition of affidavits.
Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, said the government was committed to end corruption and bring in anti-graft legislations.
"We have to plan and target a situation or at least endeavour to proceed in a direction where we have a society which is incorruptible by virtue," he said.
He was speaking at a seminar on 'Fighting Bribery in Business Transactions' organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) here.
Addressing the gathering, Secretary, Personnel, Sanjay Kothari talked about the twin weapons of transparency and accountability to end corruption.
"Corruption is bane for governance. It is anti-ethical, anti-Constitution, anti-conscience and anti common good," Kothari said.
In his opening remark, Patrick Moulette, head of anti-corruption division in OECD, said bribery is bad for business and there is huge negative effect of it in the society.
Jitendra Singh said that the ultimate solution for lasting and meaningful eradication of corruption or bribery from society as well as from administration is to cultivate the practice of incorruptibility as a conviction and not as a compulsion.
The mantra is, "avoid corruption by conviction, not by compulsion," he was quoted as saying in an official press release.
Singh said there is a perception that a large number of officials in government and outside, who are widely known as being honest or non-corrupt, are actually those who never got the opportunity of a placement or posting where they could indulge in corruption or they were too timid to take a bribe.
The true test of incorruptibility lies in the person being placed in a position from where he or she has ample opportunity to indulge in corrupt practices or embezzlements but, out of conviction, he or she has a capacity to resist this temptation.
Citing the example of Mahatma Gandhi, Singh said, it is the same case as in the practice of non-violence which cannot be the virtue of weak or meek because the test of one's conviction for non-violence lies in an individual having all the means and arms to be violent and oppressive, and yet not attacking the feeble opponent in front of him simply out of conviction of non-violence.
Just as one who is too weak to be violent cannot put up the excuse of having a belief in non-violence, similarly one who has no opportunity to indulge in corruption cannot claim to be non-corrupt, he explained.
Some of the states are complacent. But we are pushing the practice of adopting self attestation in place of affidavits," Singh said at a seminar here.
The NDA government has been emphasising on replacing gazetted or notarised affidavits with self-attestations.
In this regard, all central government ministries have already been asked to review the existing requirements of affidavits and attested copy by gazetted officers in various forms in a phased-manner and wherever possible, make provision for self-certification of documents and abolition of affidavits.
Singh, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, said the government was committed to end corruption and bring in anti-graft legislations.
"We have to plan and target a situation or at least endeavour to proceed in a direction where we have a society which is incorruptible by virtue," he said.
He was speaking at a seminar on 'Fighting Bribery in Business Transactions' organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) here.
Addressing the gathering, Secretary, Personnel, Sanjay Kothari talked about the twin weapons of transparency and accountability to end corruption.
"Corruption is bane for governance. It is anti-ethical, anti-Constitution, anti-conscience and anti common good," Kothari said.
In his opening remark, Patrick Moulette, head of anti-corruption division in OECD, said bribery is bad for business and there is huge negative effect of it in the society.
Jitendra Singh said that the ultimate solution for lasting and meaningful eradication of corruption or bribery from society as well as from administration is to cultivate the practice of incorruptibility as a conviction and not as a compulsion.
The mantra is, "avoid corruption by conviction, not by compulsion," he was quoted as saying in an official press release.
Singh said there is a perception that a large number of officials in government and outside, who are widely known as being honest or non-corrupt, are actually those who never got the opportunity of a placement or posting where they could indulge in corruption or they were too timid to take a bribe.
The true test of incorruptibility lies in the person being placed in a position from where he or she has ample opportunity to indulge in corrupt practices or embezzlements but, out of conviction, he or she has a capacity to resist this temptation.
Citing the example of Mahatma Gandhi, Singh said, it is the same case as in the practice of non-violence which cannot be the virtue of weak or meek because the test of one's conviction for non-violence lies in an individual having all the means and arms to be violent and oppressive, and yet not attacking the feeble opponent in front of him simply out of conviction of non-violence.
Just as one who is too weak to be violent cannot put up the excuse of having a belief in non-violence, similarly one who has no opportunity to indulge in corruption cannot claim to be non-corrupt, he explained.
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