After almost 16 years, the government is taking account of the assets of 1.5 lakh government employees. From this year everyone will have to file a statement of assets. This time by November 30, the cadre employees will submit the asset statement to the secretary of the administrative ministry. Non-cadre employees shall submit asset statement to the appointing authority. The statement of assets has to be submitted by December 31 from next year. Although the provisions of the Government Servant Conduct Rules, 1979 have a provision to submit the statement of assets every five years, a new provision has been made to submit it every year. The employees who do not file the asset declaration, will be initially penalized and eventually penalized heavily.
On Sunday, a press conference was organized in the conference room of the Ministry of Public Administration regarding the submission of asset statements of employees. The senior secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration. Md. Mokhles ur Rahman said, previously, the assets statement had to be submitted every five years. Henceforth annual filing has been made mandatory. Sealed envelopes should be submitted to the authorities as per rules. Disciplinary action will be taken against the employee in accordance with the Government Servant Conduct Rules for providing wrong information or misleading information. Anyone who fails to submit the asset declaration will also be penalized. This provision shall apply equally to all employees. However, since the asset statement is highly confidential, nothing can be sought in this regard even under the Right to Information Act. However, it can be disclosed if the court order or authority deems it necessary. I am hopeful that this initiative will be effective in curbing corruption.
As per the existing rules every government servant is required to declare immovable or immovable property at the time of joining service. Thereafter, there is a rule to submit a statement of decrease and increase in assets to the government through the appointing authority every five years. Although there were rules in the code of conduct to prevent corruption and ensure accountability of employees, it was not followed in practice. Earlier, the Ministry of Public Administration had written several letters in this regard, but no progress was made. The interim government has decided to make all government employees submit asset declarations. The secretary said about filing the asset statement every year, previously there was a rule of filing the asset statement every five years. Now it is done every year. Government reserves the right to modify and amend any rules from time to time as per need. In light of this, it has now been made annual.
The senior secretary said that a form or table has been prepared regarding the submission of asset statements. A cadre or non-cadre (ninth grade or above) officer shall submit the statement of assets to the Secretary of the Administrative Ministry or Department through his controlling authority. And gazetted or non-gazetted officers-employees (grade 10 to 20) have to submit their asset statement to the respective appointing authority. The statement of assets should be submitted to the concerned authority in a sealed envelope. Departmental action will be taken in accordance with the Government Servants (Conduct) Rules if any failure to submit the statement of assets within the stipulated time or concealment of any wrong information or information or any inconsistency of assets is found.
On the question of what kind of punishment can be given, Senior Secretary Mokhles Ur Rahman said that mainly minor or severe punishment is given as misconduct. Punishment may be in several forms such as: reprimand, suspension of promotion or pay increment for a specified period and recovery of the whole or part of the financial loss from the Government or satisfaction or downgrading (demotion) in the pay grade. Penalties include: downgrading, compulsory retirement, removal from service and dismissal from service. The secretary said, first a light sentence was given. However, capital punishment is given in case of serious crime rather than minor punishment.
In response to the question, the senior secretary said that if there is a case or complaint against anyone, then this information will not be kept confidential. Taxable officers-employees submit income tax returns to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) every year, where there is also a provision to mention the statement of assets. In response to the question whether the matter is conflicting or not, the senior secretary said that filing of income tax return is not related to the asset declaration of all government employees. That is, all employees have to submit asset statements. Although now it is taken manually, it will eventually have to be submitted online. When taken online, the device will signal if one’s assets are unreliable. The verification will be automatic if the asset statement is taken online.
On the question of how the asset account will be verified now, the Public Administration Secretary said, no one can keep assets hidden. There is a lag behind one. If someone hides it, it will no longer be a secret. Will be out soon.
Employee’s Name, Identification Number, Designation, Cadre, Present Place of Employment, Date of Joining, Designation on Joining, Permanent Address, NID Number, Date of Joining, TIN Number, Pay Scale, Basic Pay, Mobile Number, E-mail Address and Present Address in Asset Statement Form to be mentioned.
Immovable assets should include agricultural and non-agricultural land, buildings, homesteads, flats, farmhouses or garden houses, business establishments and asset details. Immovable assets include securities, stocks, shares, debentures, bonds, securities, savings bonds, prize bonds, savings schemes, insurance, cash, bank deposits, loaned funds, FDR and DPS, GPF, CPF, motor vehicles personal and commercial, firearms and others. Statement of assets to be submitted. Scheduled tables can be presented by hand writing or composing. Assets acquired in joint ownership and the amount and value of assets due to share in case of filing should be mentioned. Assets of a child or children who are not dependent on the employee cannot be mentioned.