Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday stressed his government’s political will to “attack” corruption exhorted CVC and CBI sleuths to ensure there is no safe haven for people who deceive the country and its people.

Prime minister Modi’s comments came in his message to the joint conference of CVC and CBI officials at Kavadia in Gujarat via video conferencing.

“In the last 6-7 years, the government has succeeded in instilling the confidence that it is possible to contain corruption,” Modi said adding, “Today there is the political will to attack corruption and continuous improvement is also being carried out at the administrative level.”

The Prime minister further called upon CVC and CBI to “ensure that there is no safe haven for anyone anywhere who deceives the country and countrymen.” “CVC and CBI and other anti-corruption institutions should remove such processes that come in the way of new India,” he said

Modi said the new India is no longer ready to accept corruption. “New India Innovates, Initiates and Implements. New India is no longer ready to accept that corruption is part of the system. It wants its systems transparent, processes efficient and governance smooth,” the Prime Minister said.

Elaborating on his government’s efforts to combat corruption through reduction of government interference in the lives of common people, Modi said, “Government undertook the task of reduction of government interference in the lives of the common people in a mission mode by simplifying the government procedures.”

The Prime Minister exhorted CVC and CBI officials to engage in preventive vigilance using technology to simplify their tasks. “Approach of trust and technology has strengthened efficient governance and ease of doing business.” “Along with technology and alertness- simplicity, clarity, transparency in the processes will go a long way for preventive vigilance. This will simplify our work and save the resources of the nation.”

“Today, when India is moving towards attaining its grand goals during the Amrit Kaal. Today when we are committed to strengthening pro-people and proactive governance, your action-oriented diligence will give strength to the ideals of Sardar Saheb”, the Prime Minister told the gathering.

Narendra Modi called upon the officers of CBI and CVC to rededicate themselves to abolish corruption from all walks of national life. He said corruption takes away the rights of people and hinders the pursuit of justice for all, nation’s progress and affects the collective power of the nation.

The Prime Minister emphasized that in the last 6-7 years, the government has succeeded in instilling the confidence that it is possible to contain corruption. He said that there is trust that people can get the benefit of the government schemes without middlemen and bribes. Now people feel that corrupt, howsoever mighty, will not be spared, wherever they go.

“Earlier, the way the governments and systems were run, they lacked both political and administrative will. Today there is the political will to attack corruption and continuous improvement is also being carried out at the administrative level” Modi said.

Talking about changing India, Modi pointed out “Today, India of the 21st century, along with modern thinking, emphasizes the use of technology for the benefit of humanity. New India Innovates, Initiates, and Implements. New India is no longer ready to accept that corruption is part of the system. It wants its system transparent, process efficiency, and governance smooth.”

Charting the government’s journey from maximum control and maximum damage to minimum government and maximum governance, the Prime Minister explained how his government undertook the task of reduction of government interference in the lives of the common people in a mission mode by simplifying the government procedures. The Prime Minister explained how the government stressed trust and technology to empower the citizens.

The Prime Minister said that this government does not mistrust the citizens and that is why, many layers of verification of documents have been removed and many facilities like birth certificates, life certificates for pension are being delivered through technology without middlemen. Steps like the abolition of interviews in Group C and Group D recruitment, online and faceless procedures in services ranging from gas cylinder booking to tax filing are reducing occasions for corruption.

The Prime Minister said this approach of trust and technology has strengthened efficient governance and ease of doing business. He remarked that many outdated rules regarding permissions and compliances for the businesses have been removed and, at the same time many strict laws in accordance with present-day challenges have been brought.

He remarked that much more compliance requirements are intended to be removed and said that most of the permissions and compliances have been made faceless and procedures like self-assessment and self-declaration are being encouraged.

GeM, the government e-marketplace has brought transparency in e-tendering. Digital footprints are making investigations easy. Similarly, PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan will remove many difficulties related to decision making. He emphasized that in this march of trust and technology country’s trust in the institutions and officers of CVC, CBI is critical.

“We should always keep the motto of nation-first foremost and always judge our work on the touchstone of public welfare and public concern”, Modi said. He added he will always back such a ‘karamyogi’ whose actions meet these criteria.

The Prime Minister also shared his views on ‘preventive vigilance’. He said that preventive vigilance can be achieved with alertness and can be strengthened through technology and experience. Along with technology and alertness- simplicity, clarity, transparency in the processes will go a long way for preventive vigilance. This will simplify our work and save the resources of the nation, he said.

The Prime Minister exhorted the officer not to flinch from taking action against the corrupt and ensure that there is no safe haven for anyone who deceives the country and countrymen. He asked them to remove the fear of the system from the minds of the poorest of the poor. He also called for deliberation regarding technological challenges and cyber fraud.

Recalling his Independence Day call for simplification of laws and procedures, the Prime Minister called upon CVC and CBI, and other anti-corruption institutions to remove such processes that come in the way of new India. “You need to strengthen New India’s policy of zero tolerance for corruption. You need to implement laws in a way that poor come close to the system and the corrupt moves out of it”, the Prime Minister said.