Central Government Employees to declare assets
The
central government has notified rules under the Lokpal Act making it
mandatory for all its employees to file declarations of their assets
and liabilities and those of their spouses and dependent children.
Assets
to be declared are immovable properties, cash in
hand, bank deposits, investment in bonds, debentures, gold and
silver jewellery and bullion possessed, shares in companies, mutual
funds, insurance policies, provident fund, personal loans and advance
given to a person. Movable properties to be declared are motor vehicles,
aircraft, yachts or ships, by them, their spouses and
dependent children
It
has issued new forms for filing these returns which have fields to give
details on 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 a person or any 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, according to the form.
They
need to give detail of their immovable properties and statement of
debts and other liabilities on first appointment or as on March 31 of
every financial year.There are about 50 lakh central government
employees, including IAS, IFS and IPS, among others.
The
rules, Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of
Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing
Returns) Rules, 2014– were notified by the Department of Personnel
and Training (DoPT) last week.As per the rules, notified under Lokpal
and Lokayuktas Act, every public servant shall file declaration,
information and annual returns of his assets and liabilities as on March
31 every year on or before July 31 of that year.These declarations are
in addition to such returns being filed by the government employees
under various services rules.
However,
the competent authority may exempt a public servant from filing the
information in respect of any asset if its value does not exceed his or
her four months basic pay or Rs two lakh, whichever is higher, the rules
said.The employees, who have already filed their declarations,
information and annual returns of property, shall
file revised declarations as on August 1, 2014, to the competent
authority on or before September 15, this year.
According
to the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, a public servant shall furnish to the
competent authority the information relating to the assets of which he,
his spouse and his dependent children, jointly or severally, own. He is
also mandated to declare his liabilities and that of his spouse and his
dependent children, as per the Act
The
government is in process of modifying certain rules, including those
related to search committee’s working, under the Lokpal Act. The Lokpal
and Lokayuktas Act provides for the establishment of a Lokpal for the
Union and Lokayuktas for the states to inquire into corruption charges
against public functionaries. President Shri Pranab Mukherjee had given
his assent to Lokpal Act on January 1, this year.
The format for various forms under Lokpal Act relating to Central Government Employees are as follows.Annexure-IV Return of Assets and Liabilities
Form No.-I : Statement of immovable property
Form No. – II Statement of liquid assets on first appointment
Form No. III – Statement of movable property
Form No. IV – Statement of Provident Fund & Life Insurance Policy
Form No.-V – Statement of Debts and Other Liabilities