Determinants of Bribery and Corruption in Public Service Delivery: A Case Study in Nepal

Ganesh Raj Joshi; Rameshwor Dangal

doi:10.56741/jmsd.v2i03.392

Authors

Ganesh Raj Joshi
grjoshi20@gmail.com
Samunnat Nepal Guthi (Trust) https://orcid-org/0000-0002-3555-2505
Dangal Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56741/jmsd.v2i03.392

Keywords:

Bribe, Corruption, Nepal, Public Service

Abstract

Bribery is a multi-faceted phenomenon prevalent in Nepal's public service delivery. The amount of bribe provided differs by type and nature of services. This paper aims to assess the level of corruption in Nepal. It analyses the additional amount the service receivers supplied to the public officials and their determinants using logistic regression. It uses cross-sectional data collected by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority in 2017 from 1668 service receivers who received service out of 3400 applicants seeking different public services. It is revealed that the CPI score is 34, which indicates that the level of corruption is high in Nepal. Among the service receivers, 39% provided bribes to public officials and used intermediaries to complete their work, increasing public service costs. Analysing the determinants of giving fixes shows that gender, education, number of times visiting public offices, perception about the staff behaviour, age and the occupation of the service receiver were significant variables. These findings imply that it is crucial to promote integrity and accountability among public officials by enforcing and monitoring the compliance mechanism and providing different benefits to motivate them to deliver quality services on time. It is equally essential to develop transparent approaches and tools for service delivery.

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Author Biographies

Ganesh Raj Joshi, Samunnat Nepal Guthi (Trust)

is a former Acting Chief Commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority and a former bureaucrat with Secretary positions in various Ministries of Nepal. He is the Adjunct Professor at Agriculture and Forestry University, Visiting Professor at Tribhuvan University and a Secretary at Samunnat Nepal Guthi (Prosperous Nepal Trust) of Nepal. He has a PhD in Resource Economics & Policy from UPLB Philippines and a Post-doctoral research from Germany as a Research Fellow of the Humboldt Foundation. He has published over three dozen papers in journal articles, books, book chapters and conference proceedings related to environment and natural resources, agriculture and food security, and governance. (email: grjoshi20@gmail.com).

Dangal, Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority

is a senior bureaucrat with extensive experience in public administration. He is currently the Secretary of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority in Kathmandu, Nepal. He has a Master of Philosophy in Public Administration from the University of Bergen, Norway. He is an expert in Nepal's public administration, good governance, anti-corruption initiatives and public service management. He has made significant contributions to administration, management, and public policy. His work has earned him recognition and respect within the administrative community. (email: dangalrr@hotmail.com).

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