But the big question is whom will Advani criticize in the state, where notwithstanding enactment of new laws––such as Right to Service Act and confiscation of property of an IAS officer––corruption has shown sharp increase in recent years. On implementation level the state government has not succeeded in its efforts.

Be it the CAG reports on DC Bills or Kosi floods of 2008 or rampant loot of government money at the grassroots level, all these suggest that there is no end to corruption in sight in Bihar in near future.

All objective studies and suveys say that the situation in the state has gone from bad to worse. The Centre For Media Studies had in April 2011 released India Corruption Survey 2010 showing how Bihar and Chhattisgarh are the two states most infested with rural corruption.

A recent IIT study says how the Publc Distribution System (PDS) in Bihar continues to be in a shambles notwithstanding mark improvement in other states––even Jharkhand––where the same study has been made.

The CMS report said that around 29 percent rural households in India paid bribe or were asked to pay bribe during the last one year preceding ICS 2010. But in Chhattisgarh, more than 60% rural households out of those interacted with PDS services paid bribe. The figure for Bihar and West Bengal is 43 each. In states like Andhra Pradesh (10%), Kerala (17%) and Tripura (18%), relatively lesser percentage of rural households paid bribe or were asked to pay bribe to avail PDS services.

In the states such as Bihar (62%), Chhattisgarh (58%) and UP (50%), rural households feel that there is an increase in the level of the corruption in PDS services.

Comparing the two rounds of ICS (2005 and 2010), across states indicate overall decline in general perception about corruption in public services. But in 2010 the percentage of those who think corruption has increased in the previous year is high in Bihar and Chhattisgarh (66% each) and low as 19% in Tripura and 33% in West Bengal but it was 59% in Kerala.

Amongst the most affected by corrupt practices in public services are socio-economically weaker sections of the society, particularly in rural areas.

Compared to ICS 2005, overall the percentage of rural households which paid bribe has come down exactly by half (28% from 56%). However, in states like Chhattisgarh (55%), Bihar (52%), Kerala (46%) and Maharashtra (40%), a high percentage of rural household paid bribe to avail the services of a public service during the last one year preceding ICS 2010 survey.

So it is not only in the BJP ruled Karnataka and Uttarakhand––where the party had to replace chief ministers on the charge of corruption and bad governance––that Advani may feel uncomfortable, even in Bihar he may not be able to speak with strong conviction as the state government’s move has failed to yield desired result.

Opening a school in the house confiscated from IAS officer, S S Verma, got a lot of media publicity yet it is to be seen whether it will check rampant corruption or not.

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