Government panel on black money backs creation of Lokpal 

NEW DELHI: A high-level government panel on black money has favoured creation of a strong Lok Pal to check corruption, besides suggesting a restricted scheme to bring back funds unintentionally stashed away abroad.

The government made public recommendations of the panel on Tuesday, a day when yoga guru Baba Ramdev cut short his hunger strike in protest against corruption. Ramdev's protest came soon after social activist Anna Hazare's, who sat on a protest fast to demand institution of an autonomous Lok Pal, or ombudsman, to check corruption.

"Institutions of the Lok Pal and Lokayukta may be put in place at the earliest at the centre and in states, respectively, to expedite investigations into cases of corruption and bring the guilty to justice," the panel on Measures to Tackle Black Money in India and Abroad said in its report.

Although the government has introduced in parliament a bill seeking to create a Lok Pal, civil society groups have termed it a tame effort.

The panel, headed by chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes, has suggested a five-pronged plan to tackle black money. This includes steps to prevent its generation, discourage its use, detecting black money, effective investigative machinery and effective adjudication.

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