Why in the News?

India has ranked 96 out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) 2024, released by Transparency International on February 11, 2025.

About the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), 2024

The CPI is an annual ranking published by Transparency International, assessing public sector corruption perceptions across 180 countries and territories.
The CPI score ranges from 0 to 100:
- 0 = Highly Corrupt
- 100 = Very Clean
The index is based on expert analysis and business surveys from reputable institutions such as the World Bank and World Economic Forum.
It highlights trends in corruption levels worldwide, enabling comparisons between countries and regions.

The CPI helps assess the effectiveness of anti-corruption policies across countries.
Corruption affects foreign investment, ease of doing business, and economic growth.
- The CPI 2024 emphasizes corruption as a major threat to climate action.
Funds for climate mitigation and adaptation are often misused, delaying environmental progress.
Countries with low scores face pressure to strengthen anti-corruption laws.

Overall Performance:
- India ranked 96 out of 180 countries, with a CPI score of 38 (dropping from 39 in 2023 and 40 in 2022).
- The decline highlights ongoing governance challenges, enforcement gaps, and institutional corruption issues.
Comparison with Other Countries:
- China (76), Sri Lanka (121), Pakistan (135), and Bangladesh (149) ranked below India.
- Denmark remains the least corrupt nation, while over two-thirds of countries scored below 50, indicating widespread corruption.
Challenges & Areas for Improvement:
- Weak enforcement of anti-corruption laws, regulatory loopholes, and opacity in political funding remain concerns.
- Strengthening institutional accountability, judicial independence, and transparency in governance is essential.

[2017] With reference to the ‘Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988 (PBPT Act)’, consider the following statements:

A property transaction is not treated as a benami transaction if the owner of the property is not aware of the transaction.
Properties held benami are liable for confiscation by the Government.
The Act provides for three authorities for investigations but does not provide for any appellate mechanism.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) 1 and 3 only
(d) 2 and 3 only