Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has said that honest officers should not be harassed for bonafide mistakes made while making well-meaning decisions. Addressing the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) in New Delhi today, the Prime Minister warned that if this was not done, decision making will suffer badly and governance will be stifled.

Dr Singh said it is important to remember that the ultimate aim of any anti-corruption mechanism is to contribute towards improvement of the processes of governance and delivery of services which can happen only through bold and innovative decision making.

Regarding speedy disposal of cases related to graft, the Prime Minister asked CVC and other such agencies to be careful and expeditious in dealing with disciplinary proceedings and grant of vigilance clearance. He cautioned that excessive delays make such exercises meaningless.

Dr Singh said the UPA Government has been willing to do more to insulate the CBI from extraneous influences but it is necessary to ensure that the political executive exercises the oversight that it is expected to in a democratic polity over any investigating agency.

President Pranab Mukherjee has said that corruption remains a major stumbling block in progress of the nation. Inaugurating the Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) in New Delhi today, the President asked the CVC to fight the menace on war footing. He said the process of change in the commission has particularly picked up in the last 10 years.

He said the Right to Information Act and the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act are major examples. The President said a number of new laws are under consideration of Parliament if it is passed, it will add more teeth to the commission to fight corruption.