‘Govt direct employees to submit annual property statements’
Srinagar,: Following the observations that employees are not submitting the requisite annual property statements to the competent authorities, 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 told KNS that there is 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 recently 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 which is in the possession of KNS 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 Clearfield here that as per the Sub section 2 of section 9 of the Jammu and Kashmir Public men and public servant declaration of assets and other provisions Act, 1983 and clause (III) Rule 2 of the J&K public servants declaration of assets and other provisions Rule, 1998 read with SRO 415 of 2003 dated 11.12.2013 in which it has been 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 told KNS that property statements in government departments, if submitted from the employees, are 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 is not much bothered to put the property statements to examination, the tainted employees take advantage of filling of the property statement as per their choice.
Meanwhile sources said that most of the KAS and IAS officers have also kept their assets secret by not divulging their property details to the government.
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. Sources said that the list of assets submitted to the government by the J&K administrative officers, have either shown immovable property details of less than Rs 30 lakhs while as a major chunk of these officers have kept their assets secret by not divulging their property details to the government. (KNS)
