New Delhi, Aug 26 - Emphasising that corruption was a canker that was tarnishing India's image, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday urged officers of the country's premier investigating agency CBI to collectively stamp out the scourge that was affecting public life.

'The urgent need to combat this menace cannot be over emphasised. Corruption distorts the rule of law and weakens institutions. It hurts our economic growth in a variety of ways, apart from hindering our efforts to build a just, fair and equitable society,' the prime minister said at the biennial conference of the Central Bureau of Investigation and its anti-corruption bureaux.

'The poor are disproportionately hurt because of corruption. We have some of the most ambitious and wide ranging programmes in place to help the poor and the deprived sections of the society,' he said referring to the grand social sector programmes costing millions of rupees.

'However, there is a constant refrain in public discourse that much of what the government provides never reaches the intended beneficiaries -- whether it is subsidised foodgrains for the poor, loans, fertilisers or seeds on concessional terms for small and marginal farmers or the benefit of employment programmes for the unemployed,' he added.

'This should be a matter of serious concern for all of us collectively.'

In an impassioned speech that delved extensively on corruption, Manmohan Singh underlined a multi-pronged approach for fighting sleaze.

While maintaining that the country was commended for its secular values, independent judiciary, a free press and the pursuit of inclusive growth, Manmohan Singh said: 'Pervasive corruption in our country tarnishes our image'.

'It also discourages investors, who expect fair treatment and transparent dealings. As the country grows and integrates with the world economy, corruption continues to be an impediment to harnessing the best of technology and resources.