Declaration of assets: Yogi gives last chance as officers miss deadline again

Chief secretary Rahul Bhatnagar has asked all additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and secretaries to provide the details of assets of officers and employees working under them on May 3.

The Yogi Adityanath government has given its officers and employees one last chance to declare assets as most of them have failed to meet the extended deadline of April 25.

After assuming office on March 19, 2017, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had asked all the ministers and officers to declare their assets within 15 days. (Subhankar Chakraborty/HT Photo)

Chief secretary Rahul Bhatnagar has asked all additional chief secretaries, principal secretaries and secretaries to provide the details of assets of officers and employees working under them on May 3.

The state personnel department has warned senior officers of action against laxity in this regard as this is the third time that the officials have failed to meet the deadline.

Principal secretary, personnel, Kamran Rizvi has reminded all senior officers about the April 6 deadline that has not been met.

In a government order (GO) dated April 25, 2017, Rizvi has asked all the principal secretaries and secretaries to treat May 3 as the last opportunity for declaration of assets.

“Expect personal interest – this is the last opportunity. Any laxity will be treated adversely,” he told officers.

Rizvi has informed senior officers that only four departments – secretariat administration, civil defence, agriculture and agricultural marketing – have provided details till date.

“But even in these departments, group ‘A’ and ‘B’ employees have not provided any information about their assets,” said Rizvi.

Uttar Pradesh government has a huge work force in about 84 departments. The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers are expected to provide details about their assets every year.

After assuming office on March 19, 2017, chief minister Yogi Adityanath had asked all the ministers and officers to declare their assets within 15 days.

On March 21, the state government circulated a prescribed format to all the officers and employees seeking details about their immovable properties.

The officers were asked to furnish details of inheritance or buying of property, investments made by them in shares and deposits in bank accounts.

The government had extended the first deadline of April 6 to April 15 saying the officers and employees were busy with the closing of financial year. Later, the deadline was once again shifted to April 25.

The CM had also sent a reminder to his ministerial colleagues asking them to provide details of their assets

In a letter dated April 13, the CM noted that most of his colleagues had not provided details of their movable and immovable assets. “I hope you will provide the information in next three days,” he said.

“We are not aware about the details of assets of ministers even now,” said a senior officer. “Most of the ministers may have provided the details directly to the CM,” he said.