Unveiling the Bribe Culture in Businesses: A Persistent Challenge

A significant 66% of surveyed businesses admitted to paying bribes in the past year, according to LocalCircles. The survey highlighted that 54% were coerced, while 46% paid bribes for efficiency. Despite technological advances, bribery remains entrenched, prompting calls for strengthened anti-corruption measures.

In a revealing report by LocalCircles, it emerged that 66 percent of business firms surveyed across 159 districts confessed to paying bribes within the last year. The survey encompassed 18,000 responses, with findings illustrating that 54 percent felt compelled to pay, while 46 percent voluntarily paid to expedite processes.

The report states that businesses often resort to bribery to accelerate dealings with government departments, whether it's for obtaining permits, compliance processes, or property matters. Disturbingly, despite computerisation efforts, bribery remains rampant, often occurring discreetly away from surveillance.

Participants in the survey indicated that bribes were commonly made to officials in various government sectors, including legal, health, and municipal departments. The persisting challenge calls for stronger anti-corruption frameworks, as emphasised by Deloitte India's Aakash Sharma.

(With inputs from agencies.)