NDA's bid to end graft, inefficiency Ministries asked to submit periodic reviews

New Delhi, Jun 23
In a crackdown on red-tapism and corruption in government, the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions has issued a circular directing all minis-tries to undertake periodic review of all officials.
The notice comes a few days after 15 tax department officials were forced to take compulsory retirement following graft charges.
The move is being regarded as the government’s attempt to rule out all areas of graft and to punish non-performers.
The ministries have been tasked to file a periodic review of all central govern- ment employees. The ministries have been directed to submit the report on the 15th of every month to Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
The exercise to review the government babus will be commenced from July 15, as per the circular – a copy of which was accessed by Times Now.
Earlier this month, at least 27 senior tax officials were forced to undertake compulsory retirement due to alle- gations of corruption against them. All the officials belonged to the Indian Reve- nue Services.
Among the 27 officials who were given the marching orders were the principal commissioner and assistant commissioner dealing with indirect taxes.
The officials who were asked to take compulsory retirement included, Anup Srivastava (principal commissioner), Atul Dikshit (commissioner), Sansar Chand (commissioner), G Sree Harsha (commissioner) and Vinay Brij Singh (commissioner).
The officers who were given compulsory retirement would be paid a sum equivalent to their pay and allowances for three months, which would be calculated at the same rate at which she or he was drawing shortly before retirement. Such termination of jobs is viewed as a penalty and as a strong deter- rent for others dealing with corrupt practices.
Presently, the retirement age of government officials is 60.
Sources said that there were serious charges of corruption and graft against the I-T officials who were asked to compulsorily retire. Reportedly, a CBI case had been filed against Principal Commissioner Anup Srivastava accusing him of entering a criminal conspiracy to favor a realtor and obtain illegal gratification.
The CBI has also reportedly filed another case against the principal commissioner on claims of bribery by an imposter to cover up a case of duty evasion.
In 2012, Srivastava was arrested by the police but was later released on bail.