The Odisha government has further extended the deadline for officials to submit their annual property return details till April 30.
The General Administration and Public Grievances Department in a circular to all Departments, Revenue Divisional Commissioners and District Collectors, said that the officials must submit their annual property return for the period from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. Initially, the officials were supposed to submit file the property return by December 31. However, it was later extended up to March 31, 2022.
However, it had come to the notice of the GA&PG Department that some of the employees could not submit their annual property statement, due to their preoccupation with the election to Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies or some other difficulties, officials said.
Considering such difficulties, the government has allowed extension of the timeline for submission of property statements online using HRMS (human resource management system) portal for the period up to 30 April, 2022, the circular said.
The circular said senior officers will inform their subordinate offices about the extension of the deadline. The employees have been directed not to wait till the deadline comes closer and to file their property statement ahead of the timeline.
Earlier, the government had extended the deadline thrice in view of the prevailing COVID-19 situation.
Though there was no provision for making the poverty statement public, chief minister Naveen Patnaik in December, 2020 announced that all government employees from entry level to chief secretary and peoples representatives from ward member to chief minister will disclose their property details.
The state Cabinet in its meeting held on June 9, 2020 decided to amend Odisha Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 1959 to pave the way for compulsory submission of property statements by all government employees.
As per the provisions prescribed under Rule-21 of the Odisha Government Servants’ Conduct Rules, 1959, every Government servant is required to make a true and complete declaration of all his assets movable and immovable and the value thereof.
A copy of the property statement will also be forwarded to the Lokayukta for his information, the Cabinet had decided.