Nipping corruption in bud: Assets declaration compulsory to get Kerala govt. jobs

 In a decisive move, Kerala government has issued an order making assets declaration mandatory for joining government service. Besides various government departments, universities and aided school will come under the purview of the order. 

The assets and liabilities of the employees would be recorded in a prescribed forum along with the service book. The order was issued the other day after a suggestion from the State Vigilance and Anti-corruption Bureau (VACB). 

The VACB director Jacob Thomas had written to the government that it was finding it difficult to assess the disproportionate assets of government employees for want of data of the assets they had when they joined the service. 

A few days back, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, reiterating his zero-tolerance policy towards corruption, had warned government officers that their disproportionate assets would be confiscated. The new order signed by Additional Chief Secretary is considered as a move aimed at checking corruption among public servants in the long run. 

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• assets declaration