The Uttar Pradesh government has instructed its employees to declare their movable and immovable assets on the “Manav Sampada” portal by August 31. Employees who fail to comply will not receive their August salary, and their chances of promotion will be affected, according to the latest order from the Yogi Adityanath government.
This directive was initially issued in August last year, with a deadline set for December 31. The deadline was then extended multiple times, first to June 30 and later to July 31. Despite these extensions, only 26% of the 17.88 lakh government employees in Uttar Pradesh have declared their assets, leaving over 13 lakh employees yet to comply.
The latest deadline extension to August 31 is seen as an ultimatum. Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh stated that only those who submit their asset details by the deadline will receive their August salary. Singh emphasized that this measure aims to enhance transparency and accountability within the government.
Supporting the move, UP government minister Danish Azad Ansari said, “This measure increases transparency and accountability within the government. Under the leadership of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, we have a zero-tolerance policy towards corruption.”
However, the opposition has criticized the move. Samajwadi Party spokesperson Ashutosh Verma argued that the multiple extensions indicate the state government’s failure to implement its order effectively. He questioned why the measure was not introduced in 2017, suggesting the government is now “on the backfoot” and acknowledging that corruption is widespread among its employees.
The order, issued by Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh and circulated by Principal Secretary of the Personnel Department M Devraj, mandates that all categories of officers and employees must submit details of their assets. Those who fail to do so will not be considered for promotion.