New Delhi, Mar 31: A Parliamentary committee has recommended penalties or corrective actions for Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers who fail to file their immovable property returns (IPRs) within the prescribed time limit. The recommendation follows the revelation that 91 IAS officers did not file their IPRs in 2024, and 73 officers failed to do so the year before, according to the 145th report of the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel, Public Grievances, Law and Justice.
The committee emphasized the importance of timely filing of IPRs, noting that 15 IAS officers in 2023, 12 in 2022, and 14 in 2021 were denied vigilance clearance, which is mandatory for certain posts, due to non-compliance with filing requirements.
The report suggests establishing a centralized compliance monitoring mechanism to ensure officers file their IPRs on time. This mechanism would include a dedicated task force within the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) responsible for tracking filing statuses and implementing penalties for non-compliance, such as automatic escalation procedures for officers who repeatedly fail to meet the deadline despite reminders.
The committee also addressed the shortage of 1,316 IAS officers, recommending swift action to improve the recruitment process. It urged the government to consider the Chandramouli Committee’s report on direct recruit intake and implement the suggested changes to fill the vacancies and enhance administrative efficiency.
Additionally, the report proposed the creation of an online tracking and submission portal for state governments to facilitate timely submission of promotion proposals and avoid delays in the promotion process.
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