The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Friday said that corruption strikes at the roots of governance. Addressing the two day state Chief Secretary's conference in New Delhi, he asserted it dents the country's international image and demeans the system before its own people. Referring to the group of ministers headed by the Finance Minister Mr. Pranab mukherjee, he said that it has been set up to look into all legal and administrative measures to tackle this menace. Dr. Singh said that two bills have already been introduced in Parliament relating to judicial accountability and protection of whistle blowers. He advocated revamping the administrative practices and procedures on a fast track and called for a systematic response to reduce opportunities for corruption. Dr. Singh said serious concern has been expressed in many responsible circles about the lack of ethical conduct and probity in public life. The Prime Minister said that the introduction of competition, greater choice and modern technology will cut down the opportunities for corruption in a meaningful manner. Seeking support of the bureaucracy in bringing about improvements in governance he said delays in the decisions could be addressed to a large extent by effective decentralisation and delegation of powers and responsibilities. Delays he added, is a major cause of corruption. Referring to internal security situation he said there has been unacceptably high level of violence in the areas affected by left wing extremism and in Kashmir valley. Dr. Singh said that the responsibilities of maintenance of law and order rests with the states. The Prime Minister however said in view of left wing extremism, cross border terrorism and religious fundamentalism, continuous and meaningful interaction between the centre and the states is essential to deal with them effectively. The Prime Minister said that centre is committed to assist states in all possible ways in these areas but states have to take meaningful and effective steps. Dr. Singh said that funds are not a constraint as 13th finance commission has recommended substantial grants for the states and central government continues to make its contribution to augment their resources. Dr. Manmohan Singh favoured waiving mandi, octroi and local taxes to tackle rising prices. He said the process of receiving these taxes impedes the smooth movement of essential commodities. He said that inflation posed a serious threat to the growth momentum affecting the poor and vulnerable sections. The Prime Minister said there is a need for a paradigm shift in the institutional arrangements, for improving the availability of various commodities to meet the higher levels of domestic consumption. The Prime Minister said though major anti-poverty programmes have achieved considerable success, the quality of delivery has not been as per the expectations.