Centre allows IAS IPS officers to retain gifts received from foreign dignitaries
New Delhi Sep 21 PTI The Centre has amended over a 50-year-old rule to allow IAS IPS and IFoS officers to retain gifts received from foreign dignitaries while being members of the Indian delegation according to an official orderExisting rules allowed these officers to accept gifts from their near relatives or from personal friends having no official dealings with them on occasions such as weddings anniversaries funerals and religious functions when the making of gifts is in conformity with the prevailing religious and social practiceBut they shall make a report to the government if the value of such gift exceeds Rs 25000 the rules sayGifts include free transport free boarding free lodging or any other service or pecuniary advantage when provided by a person other than a near relative or personal friend having no official dealings with the officer but does not include a casual meal casual lift or other social hospitalityNo member of the service shall accept any gift without the sanction of the government if the value of a gift exceeds Rs 5000 says the All India Services Conduct Rules 1968 applicable to the officers of Indian Administrative Service IAS Indian Police Service IPS and Indian Forest Service IFoSMember of the service shall avoid accepting lavish hospitality or frequent hospitality from persons having official dealings with them or from industrial or commercial firms or other organisations these rules sayThe Personnel Ministry has now amended these rules and inserted a new sub-rule under Section 11 of the All India Services Conduct Rules 1968a member of the service being a member of the Indian delegation or otherwise may receive and retain gifts from foreign dignitaries in accordance with the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Acceptance or Retention of Gifts or Presentations Rules 2012 as amended from time-to-time read the recently amended rule The Personnel Ministry had in March last year sought comments from state governments on the proposed rulespresently there are no provisions under the AIS Conduct Rules 1968 with regard to receiptretention of gifts from foreign dignitaries by members of the AIS being a member of Indian delegation or otherwise Therefore it has been decided with the approval of a competent authority to insert a new sub-rule it had said in a communiqu dated March 3 last yearThey were asked to send responses by March 31 2020 positively failing which would be presumed that the state government has no objection to the proposed amendmentsGifts received from foreign dignitaries from known or unknown sources are usually deposited with the toshakhana — a repository of such articles — in the Ministry of External Affairs PTI AKV KJ
New Delhi Sep 21 PTI The Centre has amended over a 50-year-old rule to allow IAS IPS and IFoS officers to retain gifts received from foreign dignitaries while being members of the Indian delegation according to an official orderExisting rules allowed these officers to accept gifts from their near relatives or from personal friends having no official dealings with them on occasions such as weddings anniversaries funerals and religious functions when the making of gifts is in conformity with the prevailing religious and social practiceBut they shall make a report to the government if the value of such gift exceeds Rs 25000 the rules sayGifts include free transport free boarding free lodging or any other service or pecuniary advantage when provided by a person other than a near relative or personal friend having no official dealings with the officer but does not include a casual meal casual lift or other social hospitalityNo member of the service shall accept any gift without the sanction of the government if the value of a gift exceeds Rs 5000 says the All India Services Conduct Rules 1968 applicable to the officers of Indian Administrative Service IAS Indian Police Service IPS and Indian Forest Service IFoSMember of the service shall avoid accepting lavish hospitality or frequent hospitality from persons having official dealings with them or from industrial or commercial firms or other organisations these rules sayThe Personnel Ministry has now amended these rules and inserted a new sub-rule under Section 11 of the All India Services Conduct Rules 1968a member of the service being a member of the Indian delegation or otherwise may receive and retain gifts from foreign dignitaries in accordance with the provisions of the Foreign Contribution Acceptance or Retention of Gifts or Presentations Rules 2012 as amended from time-to-time read the recently amended rule The Personnel Ministry had in March last year sought comments from state governments on the proposed rulespresently there are no provisions under the AIS Conduct Rules 1968 with regard to receiptretention of gifts from foreign dignitaries by members of the AIS being a member of Indian delegation or otherwise Therefore it has been decided with the approval of a competent authority to insert a new sub-rule it had said in a communiqu dated March 3 last yearThey were asked to send responses by March 31 2020 positively failing which would be presumed that the state government has no objection to the proposed amendmentsGifts received from foreign dignitaries from known or unknown sources are usually deposited with the toshakhana — a repository of such articles — in the Ministry of External Affairs PTI AKV KJ
