‘Liberalization is bound to reduce corruption'

The Centre for Media Studies, which provides research for informed decision making, has teamed up with the Transparency International India to study the experience of corruption among India’s poor, or the so-called below the poverty line (BPL) households, when they engage with public services. The survey, which was formally released on Saturday, found that one in three poor people had to pay bribes to access these services. It is the first time that a survey of this magnitude — with a sample size of 23,000 for all of India — is being done. Bhaskara Rao, chairman of of the Centre for Media Studies and a social scientist, spoke to Mint about highlights of the survey and how corruption needs to be tackled if India’s growth is to be inclusive. This is the second year Mint is providing extensive multi-day coverage of what has become India’s most comprehensive look at corruption.