In a bid to ensure transparency, the government has asked all departments to put property details of officials on their respective websites.
Sources said that the government has directed all the controlling/drawing and disbursing officers to strictly direct all the officers/officials to furnish the statements in time and that any lapse will be reflected in the APRs/ACRs.
Official sources said that there was a huge default in the submission of the property statements by the employees of various departments who are bound under the government ruling to submit property statements.
Sources said that the government in its circular has directed all the controlling/drawing and disbursing officers to direct all the officers/officials to furnish the statements.
The circular reads, “it has been noticed with concern that officers/officials are not submitting the requisite annual property return statements to the competent authorities resulting in to no compliance of standing government instructions issued from time to time in this regard,”
“It is clarified here that rules clearly indicated that every public servant has to submit Annual property return statements of the assets held by him and his family members in the month of January every year and shall indicate the reason for increasing, if any, in the assets and source thereof.
“Further the members of all India Services (IFS) are also required to proceed in advance with Rule 16 of All India services (conduct) Rule 1968 read with DoP&T, MOPG&P Government of India’s.) No 6(1(2014-EO (PR) dated 22.12.2016 where under every members are required to submit the detailed property returns to the prescribed authority,” the circular reads.
The circular further reads that keeping in view the above, all the controlling /drawing and disbursing officers are advised to direct all the officers/officials working under the respective control/jurisdiction to furnish the requisite Annual property return statement to the respective competent authorities. “Any lapse report in this regard shall be viewed seriously and also will be reflected in the APRs/ACRs of the concerned officers/officials which may be noted”.
Sources said that the circular has been forwarded to all the officials of the departments.
Meanwhile official sources said that property statements in government departments, if submitted from the employees, were not being put under examination and even more no check and balance have been maintained by the government.
One of the top employees of the government on condition of anonymity said that since the government was not much bothered to put the property statements to examination, the tainted employees over the years take advantage of filling of the property statement as per their choice.
If the sources are to be believed then majority of the civil servants have kept their property in ‘Benami’ name or in their blood relations to avoid test of scrutinizing. (KNS)