probity in governance and suggest measures for ensuring probity in government

The quality of having strong moral principles; honesty and decency can be understood as probity. But there’s a slight difference. Whereas on one hand honesty is about being truthful and transparent, not hiding facts and not lying, probity on the other hand is when there comes an outwards orientation to it, when one attempts to appear to be honest, when one makes sure that people get to know that one is not dishonest or simply it is the evidence of ethical behavior in a particular process. 

Probity in governance is an essential requirement for efficient and effective delivery of socio-economic development and governance through strict adherence to code of ethics based on honesty, integrity and impartiality, confidentiality and transparency. An important requisite for ensuring probity in governance is absence of corruption. 

The other requirements are effective laws, rules and regulations governing every aspect of public life and, more important, an effective and fair implementation of those laws, etc. Indeed, a proper, fair and effective enforcement of law is a facet of discipline. There are several objectives of probity in governance:

•To ensure accountability in governance 

•To maintain integrity in public services 

•To ensure compliance with processes 

•To preserve public confidence in government processes 

•To avoid the potential for misconduct, fraud and corruption Probity in governance is basic requirement for successful operation of governance. It is defined as a risk management approach ensuring procedural integrity. It is concerned with procedures, processes and systems rather than outcomes. It requires people to act ethically, impartially, honestly and with fairness. 

For ensuring probity in governance, several measures are necessary, some of which are mentioned herein: 

•Need for enforcing section 5 of the Benami Transactions (Prohibition) Act, 1988 

•Necessity for a law providing for confiscation of illegally acquired assets of public servants 

•Enactment of a Public Interest Disclosure Act - strengthening of whistle-blower Act, RTI Act, etc. 

•Necessity for enacting a Lok Pal Bill in addition to the Central Vigilance Commission Act 

•Strengthening of the Criminal Judicial System •Sense of Discipline- instilled by head of organisations and leaders of society. Example: Lal Bahadur Shastri used to pay when his sons used official car. 

•Behavioural change in bureaucrats through training, performance appraisal, inculcation of values like empathy and compassion. 

•E-Governance- use of ICT for transparency. It would also help in anonymous complaint against public servants by ordinary people. 

So, a mixture of adequate rules and regulations, creating conducive administrative processes and development of ethical competence is needed to ensure probity in governance. Too much dependence should not be on external mechanisms because this always keeps a possibility of breach. The focus should be ultimately to create men of strength and character who uphold such values on their own.