Government employees need not file asset details under Lokpal for now

Government employees need not file asset details under Lokpal for now

New Delhi: The Centre has extended indefinitely the deadline to file details of assets and liabilities by central government employees under a mandatory provision of Lokpal Act.

A new format and fresh set of rules are being finalised by the government in this regard.
The last date for filing such details was December 31.

"There is no requirement for filing of declarations of assets and liabilities by public servants now. The government is in the process of finalising a fresh set of rules. The said rules will be notified in due course to prescribe the form, manner and timelines for filing of declaration of assets and liabilities by the public servants under the revised provision of the said (Lokpal) Act.

"All public servants will henceforth be required to file the declarations as may be prescribed by the fresh set of rules," an order issued by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.
There are about 50.68 lakh central government employees.

As per rules, notified under the Lokpal Act, every public servant shall file declaration annually pertaining to his assets and liabilities as on March 31 every year or on or before July 31 of that year.
For 2014, the last date for filing returns was September 15. It was first extended till December, then till April 30, 2015 and third extension was up to October 15. The date was again extended to April 15, 2016 and then July 31 for filing of the returns.

The last date was further extended till December 31 after Parliament had passed a bill to amend the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013.

The declarations under the Lokpal law are in addition to similar ones filed by the employees under various services rules.

The DoPT had last year also issued an order bringing NGOs receiving more than Rs one crore in government grants and donations above Rs 10 lakh from abroad under the ambit of the Lokpal.
The order had mandated filing of returns of the assets and liabilities by such organisations and their executives - director, manager, secretary or any other officer.

PTI

Deadline for central government employees to declare assets extended

Deadline for central government employees to declare assets extended

New Delhi: Central government employees and NGOs receiving government funds now need not declare their assets by the deadline of July 31 as Parliament today approved an amendment in the Lokpal Act to extend the timeline.

The amendment to Section 44 of the Lokpal Act was approved by voice vote by the Rajya Sabha today, a day after the Lok Sabha did the same.

While moving the bill to amend the Lokpal Act for consideration of the House, Minister of State for Personnel Jitendra Singh said it is an immediate necessity and the provision will be examined in detail by a Parliamentary Standing Committee which will possibly submit its report before next session of Parliament.
During a brief discussion, the Opposition asked the government to adopt this law without any dilution.
Naresh Agrawal of Samajwadi Party said he was opposed to the Lokpal Act as this is not good for democracy and constitution. “Can the country’s Prime Minister be dishonest and Lokpal be honest,” he asked.

Replying to the concerns raised by the members, Singh said: “There is no intention to dilute or to delay the Lokpal Act. The government is committed to implement this law in letter and spirit”.

He also said the message should not go out that members of this House have joined hands to prevent declaration of their assets.

“Under the People Representation Act, what we declare is more than enough, regardless of the fact that we have Lokpal Act or not,” Singh said, adding that exercise to amend this Act has been done in good faith and is only to extend the deadline with only two days left. It gives relief to 50 lakh government employees.

The amendment pertains to Section 44 of the Lokpal Act which deals with declaration of assets and provision of making the assets public, he said.

As per the rules notified under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013, every public servant shall file declaration, information and annual returns pertaining to his assets and liabilities as well as for his spouse and dependent children on March 31 every year or on or before July 31 of that year.

In April, the government had extended the date of filing returns by public servants from April 15 to July 31. This is the fifth extension in the deadline since the Act came into force in January 2014.

As per rules, organisations receiving more than Rs 1 crore in government grants and donations above Rs 10 lakh from abroad fall under the ambit of Lokpal.

PTI

Central government employees to declare details of foreign accounts under Lokpal Act

Central government employees to declare details of foreign accounts under Lokpal Act

All Central government employees have been asked to declare details of deposits in foreign bank accounts which includes those of their spouses and dependent children, as per the new rules under the Lokpal Act.

Besides, they have to give details of paintings, antiques, furnitures and electronic equipments among others in case their total current value exceeds two months’ basic pay or Rs one lakh.

The declarations under the Lokpal Act are in addition to similar ones filed by the employees under various services rules. All Group A, B and C employees are supposed to file the declaration under the Lokpal law.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has written to all Central government ministries and Chief Secretaries of state governments to ensure that the employees working under them declare details of their assets and liabilities, along with that of their spouse and dependent children, by April 15.

All employees have to file returns of two years–i.e. for 2014 and 2015 by April 15–and another return giving details of their assets and liabilities for 2016 by July 31, this year.

“In this regard, it is stated that there shall be no further extension of the aforesaid last date i.e. April 15, 2016,” it said in the communique.

There are about 50 lakh Central government employees.

The employees will also have to inform separately in case of any investments of over Rs 2 lakh made in movable assets, insurance, bonds, shares and mutual funds in the new form.

Investment above Rs 2 lakh to be reported individually.

Investments below Rs 2 lakh may be reported together, it said.

“Details of deposits in foreign bank(s) to be given separately,” the DoPT said.

Employees have to give details of expensive furniture, fixtures, antiques, paintings and electronic equipment also if the total current value of any particular asset in any particular category (e.g. furniture, fixtures, electronic equipments, etc) exceeds two months’ basic pay or Rs one lakh, it said.

PTI

The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013- Submission of declaration of assets and liabilities by CSS officers for each year

REMINDER-IV

No. 21/2/2014-CS.1 (PR/CMS)
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Department of Personnel and Training
CS.I Division

2nd Floor, Lok Nayak Bhawan,
Khan Market, New Delhi 110003
Dated the 28th March, 2016

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: The Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act, 2013- Submission of declaration of assets and liabilities by CSS officers for each year- regarding.

The undersigned is directed to refer to this Department’s O.M. of even number dated 9.4.2015 followed by reminders dated 23.04.2015, 16.7.2015, 25.08.2015, 22.09.2015 and 01.10.2015 and to say that all CSS officers have been requested to file the returns as required under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act 2013 as on 1.8.2014 and for the year 2015 (as on 31.3.2015) online at cscms.nic.in The last date for submission of the returns is 15.04.2016. CSS officers who have not yet submitted the returns are requested to submit the
same immediately without waiting for the last date to approach to avoid rush and slowing down of the system at the last moment. All officers of US and above levels of CSS should also take a print out of the return filed online and submit to this Department duly signed.

2. Ministries/Departments are requested to circulate this O.M. among all CSS officers under them. They should also monitor to ensure that the returns are submitted by all CSS officers within the stipulated period without fail through the Web Based Cadre Management System. In case of any technical assistance nodal
officers may contact helpline at Telephone No. 24629890.

(V.Srinivasa ragavan)
Under Secretary to the Government of India
Tele.:24629412

All Ministries/Departments (participating in CSS)
All CSS Officers

Source: Persmin

Central government employees to file assets details by December 31

Central government employees to file assets details by December 31

New Delhi: All central government employees have to file the details of their assets and liabilities along with that of their spouses and dependent children as mandated under the Lokpal Act by December 31, the Lok Sabha was informed on Wednesday.

As per the rules notified under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act in July this year, every public servant who has filed declarations, information and annual returns of property under the provisions of the rules applicable to such public servants shall file the revised declarations as on August 1 to the competent authority on or before September 15.

The provision of the said rules has subsequently been amended by which the time limit for furnishing of such information or return by public servants has been extended till December 31, Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh said in a written reply.

The declarations under the Lokpal Act are in addition to similar ones filed by the employees under various services rules.

All Group A, B and C employees are supposed to file a declaration under the new rules. There are about 26 lakh employees in these three categories, as per latest government data.

The Personnel Ministry has also issued new forms for filing these returns which have fields for mentioning details 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.

PTI

ALL CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE TO COMPULSORILY SUBMIT THEIR ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

ALL CENTRAL GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES WILL HAVE TO COMPULSORILY SUBMIT THEIR ASSETS AND LIABILITIES

All Central Government employees will now have to compulsorily submit a detailed report on their properties and debt owed by them…

Already, each year, the Group-A officials are required to submit information about the immovable properties owned by them. Now All categories of Central Government employees too have been asked to submit these details. The DOPT has issued relevant orders to this effect.

The Government has issued this order in accordance with the Lokpal rules. According to this rule, Central Government employees will now have to submit all details regarding the cash-in-hand, bank investments, share certificates, stocks and bonds, mutual fund investments, insurance policies, P.F. details, loans, motor vehicles, gold and silver ornaments, and precious metals, to the Government.

The employees have to also submit details of movable and immovable properties owned by their spouses and children. Application forms will be given to all the employees, to be filled up and submitted before the 31st of July for each financial year.

There are more than 50 lakh Central Government employees, including IAS, IPS and IFS officers, all over the country. All of them will have to henceforth submit details of their properties. If the total property owned by the employee is less than his/her four months’ basic salary, or if the total amount is less than Rs. 2 lakhs, then he/she could be considered for exemption from submitting the information.

Those who have already submitted the details will have to re-submit the form for the current financial year on or before September 15, 2014. Information also has to be furnished about the properties owned by the spouse and children.

On January 1, President Pranab Mukherjee gave his approval for the Lokpal Act and regulations. Following this, amendments were made to the Lokpal Act to make it compulsory for all Central Government employees to furnish their property details.