Patna, Jan. 25: The state government’s move to bring asset details of all government employees — right from those belonging to all India services to Class III employees — in the public domain appears to have hit the right chord with majority of employees having no reservations against the decision.
“What is wrong if asset details of a public servant is made accessible to people. Rather, the state government’s move would ensure transparency and would also be an effective check against baseless claims made about the assets of government officials,” K.P. Ramaiah, treasurer of IAS Officers’ Association, told The Telegraph today.
Bihar Administrative Service Association (Basa) president Shambhu Nath Mishra said employees had already been providing their asset details to the government and there is absolutely no harm if government shares it with the public.
Mishra also ruled out any field officials facing problems from criminals who too would have access to this information. “The law and order condition has improved now and there would be no threat to field officials as such,” he added.
Bihar Engineering Services Association (Besa) too holds the same view as was evident from the assertion of Besa general secretary Shailesh Kumar, who said: “The anti-social elements don’t need a website to have access to asset details of their targets.”
Kedar Nath Pandey, general secretary of Bihar Secondary Teachers’ Association (BSTA), said his organisation wholeheartedly supports the state government’s move as it would help in checking corrupt practices.
He also appreciated the government’s move to extend the last date of submitting asset details from January 31 to February 28, claiming it would give sufficient time to employees to meet the norm.
The Bihar State Non-Gazetted Employees Federation (BSNGEF) and BSNGEF (Gope faction), however, do not agree with the claims of other associations that the state government’s move would help in taming corruption. Rambali Singh of BSNGEF (Gope Faction) and Rajkishore Rai of BSNGEF said if government is really serious about checking corruption it should start the drive from the top officials and ministers instead of tightening the noose around lower-level employees.
There is another organisation, which feels that bringing government employees’ asset details in public domain would add to the problems of field officials.
“Details about private property should remain private and bringing it to public domain would create problems for the field officials from anti-social elements,” said Bihar State Health Services Association convener Dr Ajay Kumar.
He said employees submit their asset details to the government every year and the government without bringing these details in public domain can identify the corrupt using the information available.
The general administration department on Monday issued letters to all the principal secretaries, secretaries, departmental heads, divisional commissioners, district magistrates and sub-divisional officers asking them to ensure complete adherence to the rules which stipulates submission of asset details by government employees every year. The letter said the details furnished would be brought under public domain.
It also said these details have to be provided latest by February 28 and all the drawing and disbursing officers would verify whether the details have been furnished or not before releasing the salary for February.
The move of the state government is being seen in the light of the statement of chief minister Nitish Kumar after assuming office for the second consecutive time last November when had announced to wage a war against corruption and also to ensure complete transparency in functioning of the state government.
Nitish, in fact, set examples for others when he along with his cabinet colleagues declared the asset details and uploaded the information on the government website.
