New Delhi: Following the trend of last year, India continues to be among the most corrupt countries in the world, Transparency International found in a report that cited growing threats to democracy worldwide.
According to the global body’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) for 2018, even while the country improved on its previous ranking of 81, it is currently the 78th most corrupt country in the world.
CPI ranks 180 nations based on institutional perceptions of public sector corruption on a scale of 0-100. A score of zero indicates a “highly corrupt” nation while 100 indicates a “very clean” one.
On the corruption index, Denmark is placed at the top with 88 points. Overall, more than two-thirds of the countries scored below 50 in the index – with an average score of only 43. India, with 41 points, was below the average.
“Corruption is much more likely to flourish where democratic foundations are weak and … where undemocratic and populist politicians can use it to their advantage,” said Delia Ferreira Rubio, who chairs the global civil society group.
Also read: Anna Hazare Begins Hunger Strike Over Lokpal
Scroll.in quoted the watchdog as saying that despite the widespread demands from the public – led by social activist Anna Hazare – against corruption and the passage of the comprehensive Jan Lokpal Act, there has been “little to no movement on the ground to build the specialist anti-corruption infrastructure required.”
Incidentally, Hazare began a hunger strike on Wednesday over “non-fulfilment” of assurances by the Centre and the Maharashtra government on the appointment of Lokpal and passage of the anti-corruption Lokayukta Act in the state.
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“It has been five years since the Lokpal Act was passed. Yet the Narendra Modi government has not appointed Lokpal…Lokayukta Act has not been passed in Maharashtra for four years,” Hazare observed in a letter dated January 28.
India’s neighbours – China and Pakistan – ranked below it, at 87 and 117 spots, respectively. Additionally, the US slid four points lower, dropping out of the top 20 countries for the first time since 2011.
The group said only 20 countries had significantly improved their scores since 2012, including Argentina and Ivory Coast. Sixteen others, including Australia, Chile and Malta, declined significantly in the same period.
(With agency inputs)