New rules for gifts to govt staff

Pradeep Sharma

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 29

The Cabinet today approved the draft HCS (Employee Conduct) Rules, 2016, fixing the entitlement of various officials for accepting gifts.

Under the new rules, the employee may accept gifts from his near relatives or personal friends having no official dealings with him up to Rs7,000 for Group A officials, Rs4,000 for Group B officials, Rs2,000 for Group C officials and Rs1,000 for those holding Group D posts. The state government has to be kept in the loop in case the gift’s value exceeds the limit, official sources said.

In any other case, a government employee shall not accept any gift without government nod if the value exceeds Rs1,500 in the case of Group ‘A’ and ‘B’ staff. This limit is Rs500 in the case of a government employee holding any Group ‘C’ and ‘D’ post.

Besides, the amount of transaction in moveable property in employee’s own name or in the name of family member has been revised from Rs50,000 to two months basic pay.