NEW DELHI, Sept 10:
All IAS, IPS and IFoS officers and other central government employees working in states and union territories have been asked to file details of their assets and liabilities along with that of their spouses and dependent children by this year-end, as mandated under the Lokpal Act.
The Group D employees — multi-tasking staff or peons — are, however, exempted from filing such details.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has written two letters – to secretaries of all central government ministries, and to chief secretaries and administrators of state governments and union territories – asking them to comply with its directive by December 31.
As per the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Amendment Rules, 2014, all central government employees except those working as peons or multi-tasking staff need to file property returns.
The rules, notified under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, stipulate December 31 as the last date for filing the returns.
The DoPT has asked secretaries of all central government departments to take necessary action and ensure compliance with the rules by all concerned.
Similarly, state governments and union territories have been asked by the DoPT to ensure filing of property returns by officials of all India services (Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service and Indian Forest Service) working under their jurisdiction.
There are about 22,95,374 employees in Group A, B and C categories, as per the central government data.
DoPT had earlier issued a form for filing these returns which seeks declarations of cash in hand, bank deposits, investment in bonds, debentures, shares and units in companies or mutual funds, insurance policies, provident fund, personal loans and advance given to any person or entity, among others.
The employees need to declare motor vehicles, aircraft, yachts or ships, gold and silver jewellery and bullion possessed by them, their spouses and dependent children.
However, the rules state that the competent authority may exempt a public servant from filing information in respect of any asset if its value does not exceed his or her four months’ basic pay or Rs 2 lakh, whichever is higher. (PTI)
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