Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said that "dynastic corruption" is a major challenge for the country and lamented that it has become a part of political tradition in many states.
Addressing a conference, he said that corruption which goes on from one generation to another makes the country hollow like a termite.
"Today, I am going to mention another big challenge before you. This challenge has been gradually growing in the past decades and has taken a formidable form in the country.
"This is the challenge of dynastic corruption (bhrashtachar ka vanshwaad), that is, corruption which is carried forward by one generation after another," Modi said.
He said in the past decades it has been seen that when one generation involved in corruption escapes punishment, the next generation tends to be more brazen in committing such acts.
"He sees that when nothing has happened to the one who earns crores of rupees at home, then his confidence is further enhanced," Modi said in his address in Hindi.
The prime minister said there is a need to have systemic checks, effective audits, capacity building and training against corruption.
"Fighting corruption is not a job of a single agency but is a collective responsibility," Modi said after inaugurating the national conference on vigilance and anti-corruption.
The three-day conference, inaugurated via video conference on Tuesday, is being organised by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).