Telangana, AP officers in no rush to file their immovable property returns

Hyderabad: IAS officers from the two Telugu-speaking states stood second in the country in not filing their immovable property returns for the year 2015.

As many as 54 IAS officers each from Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states failed to submit their IPRs so far, while the deadline ended on January 31, 2016.
Uttar Pradesh topped the country with 62 IAS officers failing to file their IPRs.

Some IAS officers of TS cadre failed to submit IPRs since 2010 despite repeated reminders from the state and Central governments.

Every IAS officer is bound to file IPR by January of the following year failing which promotion and empanelment to senior-level postings may be denied, as part of a mandatory obligation under the Lokpal rules.

IAS officers are mandated to declare the cash in hand, bank deposits, investment in bonds, debentures, shares and units in companies or mutual funds, insurance policies, provident fund, personal loans and advances given to any person or entity, among others.

They also need to declare motor vehicles, aircraft, yachts or ships, gold and silver jewellery possessed by them, their spouses and dependent children.

However, IAS officers have not been taking the filing of IPRs seriously as no action has been initiated against anyone by the governments or DoPT.
In the absence of incentive or punishment, they tend to treat the compliance as an administrative formality.