Skip to main content

Just 12% Gujarat households say Modi govt committed to fight corruption: Survey

By Rajiv Shah
A 13-state survey carried out a Delhi-based non-profit organization, CMS India, has found that in “model” Gujarat’s just about 12% households households feel that the Narendra Modi government is “committed” towards reducing corruption, which is the lowest of all states, with the sole exception of Andhra Pradesh, where just about 2% of feel that way.
The survey, involving a sample of 160 households from each of the 13 states, covering 10 to 12 rural and urban locations, finds that Gujarat’s 13% households feel that the state government is committed to reducing corruption. Only two states perform worse than Gujarat – Andhra Pradesh (1%) and Rajasthan (11%).
The survey report, titled “CMS-India Corruption Study 2018”, says, “Compared to previous year (2017), in 2018 round, the percentage who feel Union government is committed to rein duce corruption (31%), should be a matter of concern for the Modi-led government. In 2017, the percentage of such population was more than 40 percent.”
Perception about Modi govt
It adds, “Another 38% feel that the government is not much committed i.e. committed to some extent only, while a little more than 25% feel that Union government is not at all committed in reducing corruption. Vacant Lokayukta’s (Ombudsman) position at the national level after being in power for around 4 years, or recent cases of non-performing assets (NPAs) in banking sector (infamous cases of Mallaya and Nirav Modi), could be the factors contributing in building people’s perception that government at the national level is not committed to reduce corruption.”
By way of comparison, Biharis place the highest trust in the Modi government with 50% households feeling that it is committed in reducing corruption, followed by Delhi 44%, West Bengal 43%, Telangana 42%, and so on.
As for trust in state governments, 48% households of West Bengal feel that the Mamata government is committed to reducing corruption, followed by Bihar 44%, Telangana 39%, and so on.
Conducted during February-March 2018, the survey results further finds that 48% of Gujarat households feel corruption in public service has increased, which is higher than four of the 13 states surveyed – Andhra Pradesh 72%, followed by Punjab 56%, Tamil Nadu 53%, and Rajasthan 51%.
Perception about respective state governments 
The report says, “Compared to 2017 round, the perception about the respective state government’s commitment towards reducing corruption has further deteriorated in most of the surveyed states in 2018 round, except, Bihar, Delhi, Karnataka and Maharashtra to some extent.”
With an average of 31% across 13 states, the report particularly notes, “No change in opinion about the state government in Gujarat is observed, as far as people perception about the respective state government’s commitment to reduce corruption in public services is concerned.”
The report states, “In CMS-ICS 2018, 75% households have the perception that the level of corruption in public services has either increased or remained same during the last 12 months”, adding, “27% households experienced corruption at least once while availing any one of the 11 public services covered in CMS-ICS 2018.”
It adds, “Among public services, where households experiencing corruption while availing its services was high during the last 12 months include, transport (21%), police (20%), housing/land records (16%) and health/hospital services (10%).” On the other hand, “less than 1% of the households experienced corruption in banking services.”
The survey found that “while 99% of the respondents had Aadhaar, 7% of them paid bribe to get it. In case of Voter ID, around 92% had one but 3% paid bribe to get the Voter ID made.” The report comments, “This is high and reflects continued malice.”

Comments

TRENDING

NYT: RSS 'infiltrates' institutions, 'drives' religious divide under Modi's leadership

By Jag Jivan   A comprehensive New York Times investigation published on December 26, 2025, chronicles the rise of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — characterized as a far-right Hindu nationalist organization — from a shadowy group founded in 1925 to the world's largest right-wing force, marking its centenary in 2025 with unprecedented influence and mainstream acceptance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi , who joined the RSS as a young boy and later became a full-time campaigner before being deputized to its political wing in the 1980s, delivered his strongest public tribute to the group in his August 2025 Independence Day address. Speaking from the Red Fort , he called the RSS a "giant river" with dozens of streams touching every aspect of Indian life, praising its "service, dedication, organization, and unmatched discipline." The report describes how the RSS has deeply infiltrated India's institutions — government, courts, police, media, and academia — ...

Why experts say replacing MGNREGA could undo two decades of rural empowerment

By A Representative   A group of scientists, academics, civil society organisations and field practitioners from India and abroad has issued an open letter urging the Union government to reconsider the repeal of the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) and to withdraw the newly enacted Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025. The letter, dated December 27, 2025, comes days after the VB–G RAM G Bill was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 16 and subsequently approved by both Houses of Parliament, formally replacing the two-decade-old employment guarantee law.

Domestic vote-bank politics 'behind official solidarity' with Bangladeshi Hindus

By Sandeep Pandey, Faisal Khan  The Indian government has registered a protest with Bangladesh over the mob lynching of two Hindus—Deepu Chandra Das in Mymensingh and Amrit Mandal in Rajbari. In its communication, the government cited a report by the Association of Hindus, Buddhists and Christian Unity Council, which claims that more than 2,900 incidents of killings, arson, and land encroachments targeting minorities have taken place since the interim government assumed power in Bangladesh. 

Investment in rule of law a corporate imperative, not charity: Business, civil society leaders

By A Representative   In a compelling town hall discussion hosted at L.J School of Law , prominent voices from industry and civil society underscored that corporate investment in strengthening the rule of law is not an act of charity but a critical business strategy for building a safer, stronger, and developed India by 2047. The dialogue, part of the Unmute podcast series, examined the intrinsic link between ethical business conduct , robust legal frameworks, and sustainable national development, against the sobering backdrop of India ranking 79th out of 142 countries on the global Rule of Law Index .

From colonial mercantilism to Hindutva: New book on the making of power in Gujarat

By Rajiv Shah  Professor Ghanshyam Shah ’s latest book, “ Caste-Class Hegemony and State Power: A Study of Gujarat Politics ”, published by Routledge , is penned by one of Gujarat ’s most respected chroniclers, drawing on decades of fieldwork in the state. It seeks to dissect how caste and class factors overlap to perpetuate the hegemony of upper strata in an ostensibly democratic polity. The book probes the dominance of two main political parties in Gujarat—the Indian National Congress and the BJP—arguing that both have sustained capitalist growth while reinforcing Brahmanic hierarchies.

ArcelorMittal faces global scrutiny for retreat from green steel, job cuts, and environmental violations

By  Jag Jivan    ArcelorMittal is facing mounting criticism after cancelling or delaying nearly all of its major green steel projects across Europe, citing an “unsupportive policy environment” from the European Union . The company has shelved projects in Germany , Belgium , and France , while leaving the future of its Spanish decarbonisation plan uncertain. The decision comes as global unions warn that more than 5,500 jobs are at risk across its operations, including 4,000 in South Africa , 1,400 in Europe, and 160 in Canada .

Gig workers’ strike halts platforms, union submits demands to Labour Ministry

By A Representative   India’s gig economy witnessed an partial disruption on December 31, 2025, as a large number of delivery workers, app-based service providers, and freelancers across the country participated in a nationwide strike called by the Gig & Platform Service Workers Union (GIPSWU). The strike, which followed days of coordinated protests, shut down major platforms including Zomato , Swiggy , Blinkit , Zepto , Flipkart , and BigBasket in several areas.

2025 was not just a bad year—it was a moral failure, it normalised crisis

By Atanu Roy*  The clock has struck midnight. 2025 has passed, and 2026 has arrived. Firecrackers were already bursting in celebration. If this is merely a ritual, like Deepavali, there is little to comment on. Otherwise, I find 2025 to have been a dismal year, weighed down by relentless odds—perhaps the worst year I have personally witnessed.

Can global labour demand absorb India’s growing workforce?

By N.S. Venkataraman*  Over the past eleven years, India has claimed significant economic growth , emerging as the world’s fourth-largest economy. With the Government of India continuing to pursue economic and industrial development initiatives, this growth momentum is expected to continue in the medium term.