Central Government Employees to declare family assets for three years by July

Central government employees were today told to file details of their assets and liabilities, along with that of their spouses and dependent children, as part of mandatory obligations under Lokpal Act by July.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) has asked secretaries of all Central government ministries and chief secretaries of state governments to ensure that employees working under their control file the declarations in time, under its OM No.407/12/2014-AVD-IV(B).

The move comes as the deadline for filing of these returns was yesterday extended for the fifth time, till July 31.

Employees have to file three declarations–one each for 2014, 2015 and 2016. There are about 50 lakh Central government employees.

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

Employees have to give details like cash in hand, bank deposits both in domestic and in foreign, 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.

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

As per 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 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 of that year. It was first extended till December 2014, then till April 30, 2015 and third extension was up to October 15. The date was then extended to April 15, this year for filing of returns for 2014 and 2015.

Now it has been extended till July 31, 2016 and employees have to file one returns each for 2014, 2015 and 2016 by this new date.

PTI