Thiruvanathapuram, Apr 10 (ANI): Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Sunday said the Central Government is taking all measures to tackle and eradicate the menace of corruption.
"Corruption is a serious issue. Corruption is to be fought. No party can afford to support corruption or corrupt practices. It is the responsibility of the authorities, of every civilian government, to fight against this menace. If the public consensus, public awareness, is increased, surely it will be easier to handle as well as tackle the problem," said Mukherjee.
Responding to questions on the meeting between him and Swiss Federal Councillor for Economic, Johann N. Schneider Ammann, on April 7, Mukherjee said: "I have revised the double taxation avoidance agreement and tax information exchange agreement, these are the two instrumentalities with as many as 33 countries, including Switzerland. These are the legal process; it takes its own time. If we knew the names of people we would have given it to you."
"But, as per the laws of these countries, they maintain the confidentiality about their clients. Only through the legal instruments, you can get the name. Those legal instruments are being pursued," he added.
The Finance Minister had on April 7 urged Switzerland to immediately ratify the double taxation avoidance agreement that was signed between the two nations in August last year. He said that this would put the institutional framework/mechanism in place, which in turn would result in sharing of the information between the two countries.
Commenting on the Lokpal Bill panel, Mukherjee said: "There will be a committee having 50:50 members. Members representing the civil society will be nominated by Anna Hazare. Members representing the government will be nominated by the Prime Minister. We have no role to select the members nominated by Anna Hazare. He has given five names. Those names are known to you."
Hazare called off his hunger strike on Saturday after the government issued a gazette notification constituting a 10-member Joint Committee of Ministers and civil society activists, including him, to draft an effective Lokpal Bill.
The notification by the Ministry of Law and Justice said the Joint Drafting Committee to prepare a draft of the Lok Pal Bill will have five ministers from the government and five nominees of Hazare, including himself.
The notification said the Joint Drafting Committee will commence work forthwith evolving its own procedure to prepare the proposed legislation. The committee shall complete its work latest by June 30. (ANI)
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