“Transparency and accountability in governance are not about controlling corruption but about creating the trust of stakeholders in the policy process by following the Rule of Law and Participatory Governance.” Comment.

Corruption control still matters

Direct Benefit Transfer has removed fake beneficiaries and the Lokpal Act 2013 creates a watchdog, so the statement understates this role.

Trust is the larger goal

The Second ARC called RTI the "master key to good governance" because citizens accept hard decisions they can see being made.

Clean but opaque still fails

Limited disclosure on the Great Nicobar project has dented confidence even without graft.

Predictable rules

Fair procedure under Article 21, as Maneka Gandhi (1978) required, assures stakeholders that power follows law.

Open law-making

The Pre-Legislative Consultation Policy of 2014 invites public comment on draft laws.

Citizens as auditors

MGNREGA social audits and Meghalaya's Social Audit Act of 2017, the first such state law, let communities verify spending themselves.

Strengthen RTI

Fill commission vacancies, as Anjali Bhardwaj (2019) directed, and protect whistle-blowers.

Binding consultation

Give pre-legislative consultation and social audits statutory backing across schemes.