My take on World Bank Health project (OHSDP) scandal

http://infosources.blogspot.com/2008/01/corruption-plagues-world-bank-aided.html
Dear Sachi babu:
Wish you all the success in your OTV exposure to the Orissa and National audience on OHSDP, issue.
I am slowly getting aware of the problems which is not surprising to me.
Year before last at Washington DC, OSA convention(July 2006), there were two cabinet ministers from Orissa. Shree Prafulla Ghadei and Shree Surya Narayan Patra and a MLA Mr. Kalpataru Das.
I asked a question, while they were all present together to Prafulla babu. He was then claiming theirs as the cleanest Govt ever in Orissa. I asked: " How and why do you think - the same old corrupt people will behave differently, today? After all, they are the same old wine, just in a new bottle?"
His answer was both tactful and tactical: He said the main difference is: "We have a clean leader in Naveen Pattnayak". I was not convinced and skeptical, but it rested there. Because I knew even incorruptible Late Naba Krushna Choudhury could not turn the Govt around from it's corrupt ways, in spite of his personal integrity. I just hoped that this time around, it will be different.

Because in America, where the system has similar faults but once you are caught - you are gone. Not so in India. So the corrupt, even those who are caught survive and this encourages all of them. Particularly when stealing is so lucrative and so useful for the family. Smart people know it is the way to go - and there is no penalty.

I think this makes the difference between India and America. That is why I wanted ex-PM Narsingh Rao to go to jail. For a open and shut case where bribe money was collected and deposited in a Bank A/c. In other words it is not rule of law.

So it goes on. But can't be kept hidden any more, due instant communication.
The ministers went back merrily and then the scandals started coming one after another.

* It started with the NREGA scam - alleged to be 555 crores out of total of 755 crore program. Still not resolved.
* Then came Nayagarh female foetuside scandal.
* Then followed the Kantabanji spurious drug scandal.
* And now the World bank scandal.(OHSDP sacandal)
* Of course Richa Mishra suicide scandal preceded, these.

In between there have been many small but these are the major scandals in about an year's time.
This is actually a chance for the CM to prove his innocence and competence by nailing the real culprits - else he can't any longer claim to be clean.
The ball is in his court.
Best wishes,
Sandip