Even as Odisha Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra set the example by filing the mandatory Immovable Property Returns (IPR) in the period stipulated by the Department of Personnel Training (DoPT), nearly half a dozen top IAS officers in the State have ducked the deadline.
On March 24, 2022, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Department of Personnel Training in its report had expressed grave concern over the non-filing of annual IPRs by IAS officers in the country. The Committee has therefore called for taking stringent measures against the erring officials.
Showing deep angst, it said, "The Committee recommends DoPT to prominently publish the names of erring officers on its website. The Committee also recommends DoPT to furnish the names of defaulting officers along with details of action taken against each officer in a month’s time."
The report has expressed surprise that there are 32 IAS officers in the country who have not filed IPRs for more than three successive years.
"The fact that IAS officers are not filing IPRs for years points to a deeper malaise in the system. It also implies that ‘denial of vigilance clearance’ is no longer working as an effective deterrent," observed the report.
Odisha In IPR Map
Though a majority of the top-level 50 IAS officers who are holding high positions in the State have filed their IPR in the stipulated time, seven senior IAS officers occupying hot seats in the Odisha government have ducked the deadline.
As per the IAS list available with the DoPT, Odisha has at present strength of 139 IAS officers who are direct recruits. Nearly, 10 percent of the 139 babus have not submitted their mandatory annual IPR by the end of Jan 31, 2022.
Moreover, the report further added that around 20 percent of IAS officials from Odisha didn't file their IPR in the year 2020.
The rate of IPR filing in 2022 has witnessed a sharp rise following a DoPT letter warning stringent action against defaulters had been sent to the Odisha Chief Secretary in November and December 2021.
An earlier DoPT report showed that many senior IAS officers from the State had not filed the IPR for the year 2020.
According to the DoPT rules, IAS officers have to file their annual IPR online or upload the scanned copy IPR between Jan 1-31 every year. Since many IAS officers breach the deadline often, the Department of Personnel Training this year has warned that a member of the service shall file IPR by Jan 31, 2022, through the web-based Cadre Management System (CSCMS) and failing to do so, will hamper their consideration for appointment in the next level of pay in the pay matrix.
"In not filing the IPR within the stipulated period will invite denial of vigilance clearance for empanelment, deputation and for applying to sensitive posts, assessments and training," the letter warned.
However, as per the Parliament Standing Committee report on DoPT, a total of 32 direct recruit IAS officers have not filed their IPR for more than three years.
"A total of 158 IAS officers had not filed their IPR for year 2021 and around 146 didn't submit so for the year 2020," the report noted.
Babu Defaulters
A look at the data available as on March 28, 2022, with the DoPT shows that many senior IAS officers from the State have not filed their IPR for year 2021.
The senior officials from Odisha who have missed the Jan deadline, as per DoPT, are given below.
- Tuhin Kanta Pandey who is on Central deputation now.
- CJ Venugopal, Chief Administrator KBK
- Gudey Srinivas on Central deputation.
- Ashok Kumar Meena, Secretary, Panchayati Raj and Drinking Water, Odisha.
- Saswata Mishra, Secretary, Higher Education Department and Chairman of OSSC.
- V Karthikeyan Pandian, Private Secretary to Chief Minister Odisha.
- T Ao, RDC, Southern Division Berhampur.
As per the DoPT report, some of the above IAS officers have not filed their IPR for three consecutive years. The report submitted to Department related Parliamentary Standing Committee reveals that the DOPT has sent a letter to the State government to take necessary action on IAS officers who don't comply with DoPT's IPR norms.