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75% believe corruption has increased or not declined under Modi govt: CMS study

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8 years ago

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75% believe corruption has increased or not declined under Modi govt: CMS study

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]PM Narendra Modi came to power in 2014 riding on popular anger against corruption whipped up by a full scale movement on the issue. He made it a major poll plank, famously declaring ‘Na khaunga, Na khaane doonga’ (will neither take bribes nor let anyone take bribes).

Four years later, reports by independent agencies depict Modi government’s record on this front as dismal. A CMS study, CMS-India Corruption Survey 2018, released a week ago, finds that 75 percent households have the perception that the level of corruption in public services has either increased or remained same during the last 12 months.

Earlier, India was reported to have slipped two ranks to be 81st in 180 countries in Transparency International’s (TI) ratings.

Worse, TI attributed to this an aspect that riles Modi government due to the flak its faces on it from all around: lack of press freedom. Perhaps that was also the reason few media organisations reported the CMS-ICS study key findings inconvenient to the government.

The CMS-ICS study also adds that perception about Union Government’s commitment to reduce corruption in public services has seen a decline from 41 percent in 2017 to 31 percent in this round (2018).

The study covered both rural and urban locations of 13 states (including six which are ruled by the BJP) and 11 public services.

The states were Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

The public services which have been availed between 2005 and 2018 are: Public Distribution System (PDS), Health/ Hospital, School Education, Electricity, Water Supply, Housing/ Land Records, Police, Banking Services and Judiciary, plus MGNREGS for rural locations.

“While 38 percent of the households across India feel that the level of corruption has increased, another 37 percent households feel that the level of corruption in public services has remained same as before,” says the report.

“States where nearly half of the households perceived that the level of corruption has increased during the last one year include Andhra Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu Rajasthan and Gujarat,” the report says.

It says less than half of the households in states such as Bihar and West Bengal, believed that  the  level  of  corruption  in  public  services  has decreased  during  the last one year prior to the survey.

In states like, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, nearly 40 percent or more feel that the level of corruption has remained same during the last one year prior to the survey conducted for CMS-ICS 2018.

The CMS report has some good news, as well. Based on a survey conducted in both rural and urban areas across 13 states, the CMS-ICS 2018 has found that the proportion of households experiencing corruption while availing any of the nine public services has almost halved – from 52 percent in 2005 to 27 percent in 2018.

In the last 13 years, the proportion of households (rural and urban combined) experiencing corruption pertaining to Police, Housing/ Land Records and Judicial services has reduced by more than 50 percentage points, according to the CMS-ICS report.

The proportion of households experiencing corruption in 2018 is the highest for Transport (21 percent), followed by Police (20 percent) and Housing/ Land Records (16 percent).

Although the proportion of households experiencing corruption in 2018 is the lowest for availing Banking services (1 percent), the highest bribe which an average Indian household  has paid in 2018 is for taking loans from a bank (viz. Rs. 5250/- on an average in a year).

For getting a new driving license or renewing a driving license, an average household has paid a bribe of Rs. 518 in a year.

In 2018, roughly 1.9 percent households (rural and urban combined) were denied public services like Police or PDS either because of not paying bribes or because of not having contacts/ middlemen to take forward their requests. Nearly, 1.4 percent rural households were denied MGNREGA benefits for the same reasons.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1526985551161{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #dd9933 !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”]

  • Among states, 73 percent households in Telangana, 38 percent in Tamil Nadu, 36 percent in Karnataka, 35 percent in Bihar, 29 percent in Delhi, 23 percent in Madhya Pradesh; 22 percent in Punjab and 20 percent households in Rajasthan experienced demand for bribe or had to use contacts/middlemen, to access the public services.
  • Among public services, where households experiencing corruption while availing its services was high during the last 12 months include, Transport (21 percent), Police (20 percent), Housing/ land records (16 percent) and Health/ hospital services (10 percent). Less than one percent of the households experienced corruption in banking services.
  • While 99 percent of the respondents had Aadhaar but 7 percent of them paid bribe to get it. In case of Voter ID, around 92 percent had one but 3 percent paid bribe to get the Voter ID made. This is high and reflects continued malice.
  • Perception about Union Government’s commitment to reduce corruption in public services has seen a decline from 41 percent in 2017 to 31 percent in this round (2018).
  • Grouping of States by People’s Perception and Experience with Corruption while availing Public Services put Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Rajasthan among the ‘poor performing’ while West Bengal, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar among the ‘better performing’ states.
  • States’ position on the basis of Citizen Activism-Use of RTI; online complaint registering; participation in public protest rally against corruption; Use of Digital payment gateway, having Aadhaar- Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Bihar and Telangana among ‘better performing’ states and states namely, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, among ‘poor performing’.

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Union Budget 2026: What the middle class gains despite no income tax slab changes

Union Budget 2026 retains income tax slabs but offers indirect relief to the middle class through TCS cuts, simpler tax filing, cheaper medicines and higher job-creating expenditure.

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10 hours ago

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February 1, 2026

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Union Budget 2026: what the middle class gains despite no income tax slab changes

Union Budget 2026 may not have delivered direct income tax relief to salaried taxpayers, but the government has introduced several indirect measures aimed at easing financial pressure on middle-class households.

While tax slabs remain unchanged, the Budget outlines steps to simplify compliance, reduce taxes on overseas spending, lower the cost of essential medicines, and support job creation through higher public spending.

Income tax status quo continues

The government has retained the existing income tax framework for individuals. Annual income up to Rs 12 lakh continues to remain tax-free, and with the Rs 75,000 standard deduction, effective tax-free income rises to Rs 12.75 lakh.

No changes have been announced in income tax slabs, signalling policy continuity rather than immediate relief for salaried taxpayers.

Compliance relief and tax rationalisation measures

A key focus of Budget 2026 is reducing compliance burdens and improving the taxpayer experience.

The government has proposed a reduction in Tax Collected at Source (TCS) on overseas tour programme packages to 2%, down from the earlier rates of 5% and 20%. TCS under the Liberalised Remittance Scheme (LRS) for education and medical expenses has also been cut to 2% from 5%, providing relief to families sending money abroad for essential purposes.

To ease return filing pressure, timelines have been staggered. Individual taxpayers filing ITR-1 and ITR-2 can continue to file returns till July 31, while non-audit businesses and trusts will now get time till August 31.

Protection for small investors

The Budget proposes taxing all share buybacks as capital gains instead of dividends, a move aimed at protecting minority retail investors.

In another relief measure, interest awarded by Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT) to individuals will be exempt from income tax, and the applicable TDS will be removed.

A single-window system will also be introduced for submitting Form 15G and Form 15H through depositories for TDS on dividends and interest, simplifying compliance for senior citizens and small savers.

Cheaper medicines and essential products

Healthcare costs may ease slightly as the government has announced duty exemptions on about 17 cancer medicines. Personal imports of medicines for seven rare diseases will also be allowed duty-free.

In addition, customs duty relief has been extended to critical components used in the manufacture of microwave ovens, television equipment, leather goods and footwear, which could help moderate consumer prices.

Job creation through higher spending

The government has raised capital expenditure to over Rs 12 lakh crore, with allocations for railways, tourism, logistics and technology sectors. These investments are expected to support employment generation and long-term economic activity, indirectly benefiting middle-class households.

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India News

Budget 2026 balances high capex and growth, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Union Budget 2026 strikes a balance between high capital expenditure and strong growth while reinforcing reforms and fiscal discipline.

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10 hours ago

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February 1, 2026

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pm modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the Union Budget 2026 strikes a fine balance between high capital expenditure and sustained economic growth, calling it a roadmap for long-term national development.

Speaking after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented her ninth consecutive Budget, the prime minister said the proposals reflect a vision of trust-based governance and a human-centric economic framework. He added that India is not just focused on being the fastest-growing economy but is working towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy.

PM Modi said the Budget also reinforces India’s strong global standing and will provide fresh momentum to the country’s reform agenda. According to him, the measures announced will energise what he described as India’s “reform express”.

The prime minister highlighted the Budget’s focus on promoting tourism in the northeastern region, noting that it would create new opportunities and support regional development.

On fiscal management, the finance minister retained the states’ share in the divisible pool of central taxes at 41 per cent. She announced that Rs 1.4 lakh crore has been provided to states as Finance Commission grants for 2026–27, in line with the recommendations of the commission.

The Finance Commission, chaired by Arvind Panagariya, had submitted its report to the President in November 2025 after consultations with states and Union Territories, several of which had sought a higher share.

Sitharaman pegged the fiscal deficit for 2026–27 at 4.3 per cent of GDP, lower than the revised estimate of 4.4 per cent for 2025–26. She also said the debt-to-GDP ratio is projected to decline to 55.6 per cent in 2026–27 from 56.1 per cent in the previous fiscal.

A gradual reduction in the debt burden will help free up resources for priority sectors by lowering interest outgo, the finance minister said.

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India to build seven high-speed rail corridors, Finance Minister announces

Union Budget 2026-27 unveiled seven high-speed rail corridors and a dedicated east-west freight corridor to boost sustainable transport and economic growth.

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13 hours ago

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February 1, 2026

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India to build seven high-speed rail corridors, Finance Minister announces

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, presenting the Union Budget 2026-27 in Parliament on Sunday, announced that India will develop seven high-speed rail corridors connecting key cities across the country.

These corridors, described as ‘growth connectors’, aim to promote environmentally sustainable passenger transport systems. The proposed high-speed rail links will connect:

  • Mumbai and Pune
  • Hyderabad and Pune
  • Hyderabad and Bengaluru
  • Hyderabad and Chennai
  • Chennai and Bengaluru
  • Delhi and Varanasi
  • Varanasi and Siliguri

In addition to passenger rail, Sitharaman announced a dedicated east-west freight corridor connecting Dankuni in the east with Surat in the west. This initiative, along with the operationalisation of 22 new national waterways over the next five years, is intended to enhance multimodal transport and reduce logistics costs.

“These initiatives will strengthen freight movement and support sustainable cargo transportation,” the Finance Minister said.

The Budget also emphasizes infrastructure development in cities with populations over five lakh (Tier II and Tier III), which have emerged as key growth centres. Sitharaman further proposed a public capital expenditure of Rs 12.2 lakh crore for the financial year 2026-27.

She outlined that the Union Budget is guided by three core responsibilities—accelerating economic growth, fulfilling aspirations, and ensuring equitable access to resources for families, communities, and regions.

Describing the plans as part of a broader reform agenda, she added, “The ‘Reform Express’ is on its way.”

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