Panaji (Goa): In an attempt to bring transparency in the functioning of the bureaucracy and reduce avenues for corruption, the office of Goa Lokayukta has called upon all public functionaries in the State to submit a list of their assets and liabilities for the financial year 2016-17 by June 30.

The Lokayukta is bound to take action as per the Goa Lokayukta Act, if the officials fail to file their returns within the specified time.

As per the press statement issued by the Goa Lokayukta ‘all public functionaries as defined in section 2 (q) of the Goa Lokayukta Act, 2011, are being directed to file their respective statement of assets and liabilities for the financial year that ended on March 31 by June 30’.

“The assets and liabilities should be filed in the prescribed format in Form III, provided under rule 13 of the Goa Lokayukta Rule, 2012, in terms of the provisions of Sub section (1) of Section 21 of the Goa Lokayukta Act, 2011 to the Institution of Goa Lokayukta,” it said.

Chief Minister; Ministers; Members of State Legislative Assembly; president; vice-president; chairman or vice-chairman; secretary; managing director of a local authority, or government company established under a statute and owned by the government of Goa, or institutions receiving grants from the State government have to submit their statements of assets and liabilities to the Lokayukta in the prescribed form.

As per the Act, if no such statements are received by the Lokayukta from public functionaries within the time specified, the Lokayukta shall make a report to that effect to the competent authority and send a copy of the report to the public functionary concerned. Within two months of such report, if the person does not submit the statement, the Lokayukta can publish the names of such persons in newspapers and file a report with the Governor.

Team TNV