Submission of property statements: Guv unhappy, directs authorities to view lapse report seriously

Agencies

Srinagar, Nov 17:Following the observations that despite directions, employees are not submitting the requisite annual property statements to competent authorities, the Governor Satya Paul Malik has directed top authorities in the Civil secretariat to seriously view the lapse report and take strict action against those failed to furnish the statements in a time bound manner.

Sources told Kashmir News that the Raj Bhawan has received information that though the employees have submitted the annual property statements but there is still a huge default in the submission of the such statements by the employees of various departments.

Sources said that even several top officers have failed to submit property statements. “Irony is that many of these officers are themselves heads of departments,” sources maintained.

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. “ 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,” the circular reads.

Sources here in the Raj Bhawan said that the Governor has told the top authorities to issue directions to all the controlling /drawing and disbursing officers 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 and that any lapse report in this regard shall be viewed seriously.

Meanwhile official sources said that property statements of various employees in government departments, if submitted, 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 previous government was 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.

Sources believe that 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.

Meanwhile sources said that during the last few months the Raj Bhawan have got several complaints of alleged corruption and other wrongdoings against the tainted officials.

“People have more faith in Governor’s rule than an elected government. Let us see what action the Governor takes on such complaints. Otherwise, we have seen these accountability exercises in the past as well but no action has ever been taken,” said one of the social activists.

TAGGED:
Share This Article
Leave a comment