Austerity steps: Ministers were bound by similar measures in 1967

Arjun Sharma

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Jammu, January 23

While the recent austerity measures announced by the Jammu and Kashmir administration may have caused a political outcry, a code of conduct 57 years ago in 1967 imposed many restrictions on the ministers and bureaucrats of the erstwhile state.

Code of conduct

• A code of conduct 57 years ago in 1967 imposed many restrictions on the ministers and bureaucrats of the erstwhile state of J&K
• All ministers and other functionaries were asked to disclose to the chief minister the details of the assets and liabilities and their business concern
• Ministers were told to sever all connections with the conduct and management of any business before appointment
• Ministers were asked to report to CM if any member of their family set up a new business

An official document issued on November 27, 1967, announced a code of conduct for all ministers, deputy ministers, chief parliamentary secretary and the parliamentary secretaries asking them to follow a strict code before taking the office.

The chief minister at that time was Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq.

The official document highlights that all the ministers and other functionaries were asked to disclose to the chief minister the details of the assets and liabilities and their business concern. “The details to be disclosed shall consist of particulars of all immovable property and total approximate value of shares and debentures, cash holdings and jewellery,” the document states. The order stated that the minister must sever all connections, short of divesting himself of the ownership, with the conduct and management of any business in which he was interested before his appointment as minister.

“With regard to the business concern which supplies goods or services to the government or to undertakings of the government (excepting in the usual course of trade or business and at standard or market rates) or whose business primarily depends of licenses, permits, quotas, leases received or to be received from the government, the minister shall divest himself of all his interests thereof,” the documents reads.

A minister was also supposed to furnish annually by March 31 to the chief minister a declaration regarding all assets and liabilities. The ministers were asked to refrain from buying or selling to the government any immovable property except where such property is compulsorily acquired by the government in the usual course.

The code of conduct also asked the ministers not to start or join any business. The ministers were asked to report to the chief minister if any member of his family sets up or joins in the conduct and management of any new business.

The code of conduct further laid down that a minister should not accept valuable gifts except from close relatives. Even member of his families were asked to refrain from accepting gifts from anyone with whom a minister had official dealings.

The J&K Administration recently rolled out several austerity measures for officials to be followed till March.