Dollar run: 130 Punjab officials face the axe

CHANDIGARH: Services of Punjab officers, who have been violating service rules while enjoying their long sojourn abroad, are set to be terminated. Punjab Vigilance Bureau has submitted a list of 130 officers who have obtained permanent residence/immigration status in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia to the CM’s office.

Devinder Pal

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 28

Services of Punjab officers, who have been violating service rules while enjoying their long sojourn abroad, are set to be terminated.

Punjab Vigilance Bureau has submitted a list of 130 officers who have obtained permanent residence/immigration status in the USA, Canada, New Zealand and Australia to the CM’s office. Information obtained through the RTI had revealed that 1,000 employees had violated the rules but many departments had not furnished details.

The bureau has recommended that the violations draw severe penalties under the Service Conduct Rules 18- A under which the services of the erring employees can be terminated.

Those in the dock include nine (Child Development and Project Officers) CDPOs from the Department of Social Security, 20 Class 1 officers from Agriculture Department, 18 officials from Punjab Mandi Board Department and 21 officers from the district police department of Kapurthala, Fazilka, Khanna, Bathinda, Mohali and Ludhiana.

However, the state did not disclose the number of IAS, IPS, PCS and PPS officers who have violated such rules. The report states that three Asst Excise and Taxation Commissioners (AETCs) and three ETOs also figure in the list.

Others who have violated the rules include five from Animal Husbandry Department, six from Technical Education Department, five from DPI (Elementary), five from Punjab Cooperative Bank and one each from the PWD, Homeopathy, Sugarfed, PWD, Punsup and Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

A senior vigilance officer said that the violations came to the fore after the Vigilance Bureau enquired into the disproportionate assets of officials who had not only availed of the PR/immigration status but were routing black money through NRI accounts.

Following this, an enquiry was ordered by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal in which the bureau said the departmental NOCs were also being misused.

The bureau said the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) had clearly stated that no officer should apply or seek immigration to any country as long he is in government service.

"Therefore, the question of issuing an NOC to a government employee who wishes to migrate abroad does not arise," says a DoPT letter dated March 1, 2006.

The service conduct rules section 18-A clearly say that an employee shall not dispose of by sale, mortgage, gift or grant any lease in respect of movable and immovable property situated outside India which was acquired by him either in his own name or any member of his family. An employee cannot enter into any transaction with any foreigner, foreign government or organization.

Rules state that all such employees are taking the government for a ride by submitting false affidavits on conduct rules. The note mentions that all such employees were also in violation of Rule 19 of the Passport Rules, 1980.