PM Modi Addresses G20 Anti-Corruption Meeting, Affirms India’s Zero Tolerance Policy

New Delhi, August 12, 2023: In a resolute virtual address to the G20 Anti-Corruption Ministerial Meeting, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi underscored India’s unyielding commitment to eradicating corruption.

PM Modi proclaimed, “India has a strict policy of zero tolerance against corruption,” reaffirming the nation’s dedication to combatting this pervasive issue. The Prime Minister emphasized that India is harnessing technology and e-governance to foster a transparent and accountable ecosystem.

Drawing from the wisdom of Indian luminary Rabindranath Tagore, PM Modi cautioned against the pitfalls of greed, highlighting its obstruction of truth realization. He invoked the ancient Indian Upanishads, which advocate for the principle of ‘Ma Gridha,’ translated as ‘let there be no greed.’

PM Modi poignanty pointed out that the most severe ramifications of corruption are borne by the marginalized and economically disadvantaged segments of society. He elucidated, “It affects resource utilization, distorts markets, impacts service delivery, and ultimately diminishes people’s quality of life.”

Referencing the Arthashastra’s sage Kautilya, Modi enunciated the government’s duty to optimize state resources for the welfare of its citizens. He fervently expressed that battling corruption is intrinsic to this objective, casting it as the government’s sacred duty.

The Prime Minister hailed advancements in plugging leaks and gaps in welfare schemes and government projects. He proudly highlighted, “Hundreds of millions of people in India have received direct benefit transfers into their bank accounts, amounting to more than 360 billion dollars and saving over 33 billion dollars.”

Modi also extolled the government’s e-Marketplace (GeM) portal for enhancing transparency in government procurement. He spotlighted the enactment of the Economic Offenders Act in 2018, lauding the government’s aggressive pursuit of economic offenders and the recovery of assets exceeding 1.8 billion dollars.

Furthermore, he illuminated the pivotal role of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), leading to the attachment of offenders’ assets worth more than USD 12 billion since 2014.

In his address, Prime Minister Modi’s unwavering commitment to corruption eradication echoed, positioning India as an exemplar in the global fight against this scourge.