Central government employees asked to file Lokpal property returns after office hours, on holidays

Central government employees asked to file Lokpal property returns after office hours, on holidays

New Delhi: The Central government employees should file details of their assets and liabilities under the new Lokpal Act after office hours and on holidays, the government has said as the deadline for submitting the declarations by them ends on Thursday.

DoPT Secretary Sanjay Kothari

Many employeess have also complained of slow speed of an online system meant for filing these declarations.

“Officers are also advised to use Google Chrome browser to access the system as it runs better in this browser,” the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said in an order.

Several telephonic messages have been received regarding slow speed of the system making it difficult for officers in filing the return, it said.

“As the system is accessed by thousands of officers at the same time during office hours, it makes the system slow,” the order said.

The DoPT has taken up the issue of slow speed of system with National Informatics Centre (NIC) authorities for upgradation of the server. “At the same time, it is also informed that as it is online system, officers may try filing their return after office hours and on holidays when the system is less congested,” it said.

An online system has been hosted at www.Cscms.Nic.In for filing the assets declarations by Central Secretariat Service (CSS) officers.

Similarly, an online system PRISM (Property Related Information System) has also been developed by NIC for IAS officers, the DoPT has earlier said.

The first return under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act as on August 1, 2014 should be filed on or before April 30.

Government employees have to also file next annual return under the Act for the year ending March 31, 2015, on or before July 31, this year.

The declarations under the Lokpal Act are in addition to the Immovable Property Returns (IPRs) filed by them under existing services rules.

The DoPT had last year notified the Public Servants (Furnishing of Information and Annual Return of Assets and Liabilities and the Limits for Exemption of Assets in Filing Returns) Amendment Rules, 2014.
As per the rules, every public servant shall file the returns of his assets and liabilities, including that of his spouse and dependent family members, as on March 31, every year on or before July 31 of that year.
For 2014, the last date for filing these returns was September 15 last, which was later extended to December-end and now till April 30, 2015.

All Group A, B, and C employees are supposed to file a declaration under the new rules.

Inputs with PTI

CGHS faces over-billing, unsatisfactory services complaints

CGHS faces over-billing, unsatisfactory services complaints

New Delhi: The Government has received complaints of “over-billing and unsatisfactory services” from beneficiaries of Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) and has constituted a committee to look into the issue, the Lok Sabha was told Friday.

Health Minister J P Nadda

“Yes. Some complaints from CGHS beneficiaries regarding over-billing and unsatisfactory and deficient services have been received by CGHS and the same has been taken up with Director Forsan Healthcare Pvt Ltd,” Health Minister J P Nadda informed the Lok Sabha in a written reply to a question.
Forsan is the service provider for dental clinics run in the CGHS dispensaries.

The Minister said that an internal committee comprising of dental specialists has been constituted to look into the complaints received.

“About 3,000 bills of CGHS Delhi for period of 2011-13 have been checked by the committee and it has recommended refund of Rs 3.13 crore from the pending bills of the agency.

“Additionally, bill amount of Rs 1.79 crore (approximately) has been withheld,” Nadda said.

He informed the Upper house that CGHS has also constituted two standing committees to look into the working and other related issues to keep a check over the quality of services provided by the agency.

Additionally the bills submitted by the agency are now scrutinized by the CMO of the wellness centres to which these dental units are attached, Nadda said.

Replying to another question, he said that the Indian Council of Medical Research has informed that so far 14 Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories (VRDL) have been established by the council.

He said that the department of health research has launched a scheme on “Establishment of a Network of Laboratories for Managing Epidemics and Natural Calamities” for implementation during the 12th Plan period.

“The target under the scheme is for 10 regional labs, 30 state level labs and 120 medical college level labs. 30 VRDLs have been established under the scheme,” he said.

He said that the funds released under the scheme for establishment of VRDLs during 2013-14 are Rs 34 crores and Rs 30 crores respectively. The approval committee constituted under the scheme has approved 51 VRDLs and funds have been released for 30 VRDLs, he added.

Inputs with PTI