NEW DELHI: Digitalisation of the economy and stricter vigilance may be paying off as the NCRB data indicates that corruption in states has gone down significantly. According to the data, corruption cases reported in the country decreased by 12.8% with 5,112 cases registered by anti-corruption bureaus, vigilance departments, lokayuktas of states/UTs and the CBI in 2016 compared to 5,867 cases in 2015.By 2016-end, 12,958 graft cases were under probe at the Centre and state levels under Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act and IPC sections associated with corruption charges. Government officials say corruption cases have come down because the NDA government amended the PC Act in 2015 classifying graft as a heinous crime and providing for longer prison terms for both bribe-giver and bribetaker.The amendments also sought speedy trials, limited to two years, in these cases. Uttar Pradesh, one of the largest, reported only 30 cases. Arvind Kejriwal-ruled Delhi reported 16 cases of corruption compared to 30 in 2015.

Source: Times of India November 30, 2017 20:37 UTC