Panaji, Apr 28 (IANS): Corruption possibly started with the beginning of human race, Goa's new Lokayukta P.L. Mishra said on Thursday, adding that it was "very difficult" to eradicate the evil unless transformation came from within people.

Mishra, a former chief justice of the Patna High Court, was speaking to reporters after he was sworn in as Goa's second Lokayukta.

"Corruption is a difficult issue, perhaps the day human being was born, corruption possibly started with it. It is very difficult to eradicate corruption anywhere. It is not that there is corruption only in India. Corruption is there in every country," Mishra said.

"There is necessity of Lokayukta everywhere in this country because of the prevailing circumstances. It's a very important function to be discharged," he said, after he was took oath in presence of Goa Governor Mridula Sinha, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar and several members of the state cabinet and senior bureaucrats.

To eliminate corruption, Mishra said there had to be transformation within every person.

"The change must come from within, from himself, from every person. He must discharge his duty honestly and sincerely, (only) then corruption will go. The change must be from within humanity," Mishra said.