Corruption in Public Works - Inputs on Solutions

Several members in West Bengal circle and this circle raised the issue of bridge collapse on Kolkata yesterday. Below are some of the key issues and root causes identified by you for Corruption in Public Works. Kindly review and share very specific implementable solutions that must be implemented to address such Public Works corruption.

We look forward to your inputs!

Transparency International India

Corruption in Public Works – Root Causes

1. Public works employees are used to easy work and easy money
2. Many tenders are still awarded manually leading to corruption
3. Politicians use their influence to get tenders awarded to their known
4. Contractors pay huge bribes and hence make up the money by compromising on the construction quality
5. People who get contracts outsource the actual work to 3rd parties and take commissions
6. Engineers think that it is their right to take bribes
7. No big contacts are awarded without political patronage
8. Corruption has been institutionalised in the public works department
9. People are okay with bribing as they want their work to be done quickly.

Corruption in Public Works - Issues

1. All employees get their salary and other benefits but work only when they are paid extra i.e. bribes
2. Public works tenders are given after accepting bribes
3. Roads are laid without the right amount of tar in it
4. Bribes are given to the department right from the time of giving advertisement till the completion of projects
5. Bad quality material is used to complete projects
6. Engineers are bribed to pass the low grade material for use
7. Bribes are given to get the timeline of project completion extended
8. Politicians use their influence/bribes to get contracts allotted
9. Contractor builds cost of bribery into contract pricing ultimately leading to increased cost to the Government and Tax Payer.
10. Blacklisted companies are repeatedly used because of the contractor-political-bureaucrat nexus with kickbacks at its core. more