Now, govt staff must declare present guidance value of their properties

Decision aimed at preventing undervaluation of assets

The State Cabinet on Tuesday decided to make it mandatory for all government employees to declare the present guidance value of the properties owned by them and their dependents.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Law Minister T B Jayachandra said henceforth the employees will also have declare the properties owned by their children and parents. Hitherto, they had to declare the assets of their spouses. "We have decided to make it mandatory to declare present guidance value and not the purchase price to prevent any undervaluation of properties" Jayachandra said.

The employees will also have to declare all jewellery worth more than Rs 10,000 and household item worth more than Rs 25,000. Amendment will brought to Form IV prescribed under Rule 7 of the Karnataka Lokayukta Rules, 1985 for the purpose. It will come into effect once the amended rules are notified, he said.

The Cabinet also decided to grant Central government pay scales to the employees of High Court of Karnataka with arrears from October 6, 2004. The Cabinet took the decision following a direction from the Supreme Court and, it will cost the state exchequer Rs 318.46 crore.

In another decision, the Cabinet decided to withhold promotions to different cadres of state civil services till January 15, 2018 following the Supreme Court quashing consequential promotions for SC/ST employees.

The Cabinet approved the "State Faecal Sludge and Septage Management Policy" for sewage waste management as mandated by the Amrit scheme of the Centre.

In another decision, the Cabinet gave its clearance for a supplying Tungabhadra backwaters under the multi-village drinking water scheme to habitation of Pavagada taluk in Tumakuru district, Molakalmur in Chitradruga district, Kudligi taluk of Ballari district among others at a cost of Rs 2,352 crore, Jayachandra said.