They scrutinise assets of others, but yet to post own returns online….Shyamlal Yadav
New Delhi Six months after a circular went out to officers of central services to post their immovable property returns online, those still to do so include officers whose job involves scrutinising assets and accounts of both government departments and officials as well as companies. They include personnel of the Customs and Central Excise (C&CE) Service, Indian Audit and Account Service (IAAS) and around 700 officers of the Indian Revenue Service (IRS).
The C&CE Service, whose nearly 2,700 officers are deputed for collection of indirect taxes across the country, is yet to come out with IPRs of its officers. Says G S Narang, president of the C&CE Service Officers Association: We have conveyed our apprehensions to the government. Many of our colleagues are posted in anti-smuggling operations with greater risk. Their details may be exploited.
The Central Board of Excise and Customs (CBEC), meanwhile, is yet to decide on the issue, says spokesperson Samanjasa Das.
Among the 3,200 IRS officers who handle direct taxes including income-tax, at least 700 are also yet to put their assets in the public domain.
Interesting is the case of the IAAS, whose officers scrutinise accounts of government departments. IPRs of 89 of its around 550 officers are yet to be posted, with its website saying these are being uploaded.
Among those whose IPRs are missing are top IRS officers working with the Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) including the board chairman M C Joshi and members S C Jaini, S S Rana, Manjary Kacker, K Madhavan Nair and Poonam Kishore Saxena.
As explanation, the additional director general in Human Resources Directorate of CBDT, B K Jha, says: After being appointed chairman and members of the CBDT, the officers do not remain part of the IRS cadre. That is why we did not post their details.
About the missing IPR details of other officers, Jha adds: We have not posted IPRs of officers who are on deputation with other departments.
This includes P K Dash, who is posted with the Election Commission to monitor expenses and declarations of electoral candidates and political parties. Dash says he has declared his IPR to the Election Commission and they are in the process of putting it in the public domain.
Another Central service lagging behind in the exercise is the Indian Forest Service. Says one officer posted with the Vigilance Department of the Ministry of Environment and Forests: We are busy on the job. Many officers are still to make their declarations. Once they do, we will put them online.
Among the around 4,450 IAS officers, only 68 are yet to file their IPRs to the Department of Personnel and Training for putting online. And of the around 3,300 IPS officers in total, only 519 officers are yet to do so. The Ministry of Home Affairs has sent a reminder to the IPS officers who have not submitted their details yet to do so soon.