Integrity of public bodies, impact of corruption on women on G20 anti-graft panel's meet agenda

The role of audit institutions, integrity and effectiveness of pubic bodies and impact of graft on women are among the agendas of second G20 anti-corruption working group meeting scheduled to begin in Rishikesh on Thursday, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said.

He said international cooperation for strengthening fight against corruption, including ways to recover stolen assets, analysing the effectiveness of existing mutual legal assistance frameworks and faster extradition of fugitive economic offenders will also be discussed during the meeting.

Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, said the impact of corruption on women will be highlighted during the meeting ''since they are most vulnerable to it''.

''The government has been working towards a policy of zero tolerance towards corruption and terrorism. We have continuously sought to address both these priorities. Cooperation from G20 nations in ensuring return of economic offenders and ways to recover stolen money from them will be discussed,'' he told reporters on Wednesday during a briefing ahead of a three-day second G20 anti-corruption working group (ACWG) meeting beginning from May 25 in Rishikesh (Uttarakhand).

Singh said the proceeds of corruption taken away from the country can supplement in terror funding as well.

''India has always been open to cooperate. It will be occasion for us to reiterate our resolve against economic offenders,'' he said.

When asked about likely discussion on extradition of fugitive economic offenders diamond merchant Nirav Modi and businessman Vijay Mallya during the meet, the minister said the ''discussion is broad based and not on individuals''.

''A side event on gender and corruption will be held on Thursday. Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Meenakshi Lekhi will give the keynote address highlighting the importance of the gender aspect of corruption,'' Singh said.

Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, S Radha Chauhan said India has for the first time proposed discussion on impact of corruption on women during the G20 ACWG meeting.

''We have proposed discussion on gender and corruption. Let's see how it goes. We intend to make it a part of main agenda of G20 ACWG,'' said Chauhan, who was also present during the briefing.

She also highlighted the role of information and communication technology (ICT) besides the GeM (Government e Marketplace) in combating corruption.

Various governmental experts from G20 countries and voices from grassroots will be represented in the event and G20 ACWG will aim at enhancing its understanding regarding the issues related to gender and corruption for possible future work in this regard.

Minister Singh said the Indian presidency will focus on five broad themes in G20 anti-corruption working group -- international cooperation for strengthening fight against corruption, integrity and effectiveness of public bodies and authorities responsible for preventing and combatting corruption, role of audit institutions in anti-corruption, leveraging ICT for combating corruption in the public sector and ''gender and corruption''.

India will build upon the work done by previous presidency and collate a compendium of good practices of G20 countries on the role of audit institutions and audit practices in preventing and combating corruption under the theme of ''role of audit institutions in anti-corruption''.

On the theme of integrity and effectiveness of public bodies and authorities responsible for preventing and combatting corruption, the G20 ACWG will strive to attain the highest level of commitment to achieve an effective institutional framework to fight corruption.

''This will help in developing transparent regulatory frameworks, an independent process of decision-making, effective bureaucratic structures, and effective internal control mechanisms in bodies and authorities which are responsible for preventing and combatting corruption,'' an official said, mentioning the agenda of second ACWG meeting.

The first meeting of ACWG was held from May 1-3 this year in Gurugram (Haryana).