The government, which wants to prevent Baba Ramdev from going ahead with his fast on Saturday, said late Friday night that it is considering substantially increasing the maximum punishment for corruption.
The Prime Minister’s Office late Friday night issued a statement giving, point by point, the action it has taken or proposes to take on the issues raised by Ramdev.
The statement said the government proposes to build a database of Indians going frequently to foreign countries considered to be tax havens and returning to India. The department of personnel is considering the inclusion of a chapter in the Prevention of Corruption Act to provide for confiscation of ill-gotten wealth.
“The government has already decided to set up 71 new special courts for trial of CBI cases. The number of public prosecutors, inspectors, head constables and stenographers for additional special courts has been increased. Government is open to the idea of more special courts to speed up trial of corruption cases,” said the statement. It said the Lokpal Bill joint drafting committee has under its consideration stronger punishment for the corrupt.
It said India has re-negotiated double tax avoidance agreements and finalised tax information exchange agreements with 44 countries to strengthen the exchange of information relating to tax evasion, money-laundering and other criminal activities. In order to strengthen existing laws relating to black money, the government has constituted a committee to consult all stakeholders and submit its report within six months.
The committee will look into the issue of declaring as a national asset wealth generated illegally, amending laws to confiscate and recover such assets and providing for exemplary punishment against perpetrators of black money.
On Ramdev’s demand on public services delivery, it said the government is prepared to introduce a Public Services Delivery Bill in Parliament at the earliest and to prepare a model bill for adoption by state governments. “The Central government will encourage state governments to adopt the model bill to improve the quality and timeliness of public service delivery,” it added. The statement said a commission for scientific and technical terminology has been set up with a mandate to provide more regional language material in technical subjects.