Talking to TSI, the state Congress president Suresh Pachauri said, “The decision has come too late. In fact, it was following the crusade by the Congress’ Rakesh Singh that the BJP had to take this decision.” On the other hand, state minister Kanhaiya Lal Agrawal stresses that there is nothing to hide as the MLAs have to declare their assets anyways at the time of elections, and it is with these very MLAs that the Cabinet is formed.
The deputy leader of the Opposition, Rakesh Singh Chaturvedi, had filed an RTI application in the general administration department and police headquarters last year. He asked both the departments to furnish the asset details of three consecutive years of all IAS and IPS officers. The application was rejected. The department's appellate officers too gave a decision against Singh. He had to go to State Information Commission for a favourable verdict. “The BJP has tried to hijack the achievements of the Congress by ordering this move. However, it's a result of our initiative,” says Singh.
Chief Information Commissioner P.P. Tiwari told TSI, “RTI is an essential tool for transparency in law and ensures corruption-free administration. The declaration of assets by public servants will help curb corruption. We have consulted all the laws and decided to order the declaration and sharing of information about the assets of public servants. This is in the interest of the people. The politicians are also in its purview.”
On the other hand, ex-chief secretary of the state, Nirmala Buch, says, “The decision is good but it will still be difficult to curb corruption. Most officials amass wealth in other people’s names. It will be impossible to ascertain their benami assets. The government is aware of the problem but unless there is political will, nothing fruitful will ever emerge.”
RTI activist Ajay Dubey says, “The government must come up with a mechanism to crosscheck the information furnished on its website. In case of discrepancies, the officer concerned should be punished.” On the other hand, the IAS Association maintains that it has always supported the move. The vice president of the association, Dr V.N. Pandey, told TSI, “There's no harm in declaring assets. We’ll ask everybody to comply with the government order."
Last year, the Information Commission in Punjab had asked several officials to furnish information about their assets. Some of them had amassed assets beyond their known sources of income. Similarly, an IAS officer in Tamil Nadu had volunatarily declared his assets. However, the MP government move is the first time ever that all civil servants in a state have been asked to go public with their material assets.
For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009
The deputy leader of the Opposition, Rakesh Singh Chaturvedi, had filed an RTI application in the general administration department and police headquarters last year. He asked both the departments to furnish the asset details of three consecutive years of all IAS and IPS officers. The application was rejected. The department's appellate officers too gave a decision against Singh. He had to go to State Information Commission for a favourable verdict. “The BJP has tried to hijack the achievements of the Congress by ordering this move. However, it's a result of our initiative,” says Singh.
Chief Information Commissioner P.P. Tiwari told TSI, “RTI is an essential tool for transparency in law and ensures corruption-free administration. The declaration of assets by public servants will help curb corruption. We have consulted all the laws and decided to order the declaration and sharing of information about the assets of public servants. This is in the interest of the people. The politicians are also in its purview.”
On the other hand, ex-chief secretary of the state, Nirmala Buch, says, “The decision is good but it will still be difficult to curb corruption. Most officials amass wealth in other people’s names. It will be impossible to ascertain their benami assets. The government is aware of the problem but unless there is political will, nothing fruitful will ever emerge.”
RTI activist Ajay Dubey says, “The government must come up with a mechanism to crosscheck the information furnished on its website. In case of discrepancies, the officer concerned should be punished.” On the other hand, the IAS Association maintains that it has always supported the move. The vice president of the association, Dr V.N. Pandey, told TSI, “There's no harm in declaring assets. We’ll ask everybody to comply with the government order."
Last year, the Information Commission in Punjab had asked several officials to furnish information about their assets. Some of them had amassed assets beyond their known sources of income. Similarly, an IAS officer in Tamil Nadu had volunatarily declared his assets. However, the MP government move is the first time ever that all civil servants in a state have been asked to go public with their material assets.
For Complete IIPM Article, Click on IIPM Article
Source : IIPM Editorial, 2009
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