DHARAMSALA: In a step aimed at checking the abuse of power and corruption by government officials, the Himachal Government has barred all officers from purchasing land, building and immovable property in their name or in the name of their family members at the place of their posting without the permission of the competent authorities.
The order also restricts them from buying property at the place of their posting within two years of being transferred out. Orders have been issued to the revenue officials concerned that no such land deed shall be registered. The officials who have come under the ambit of the new orders include divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners, additional deputy commissioners, SDMs, tehsildars, naib tehsildars, revenue staff in the rank of patwaris and above, SPs, DSPs, conservator of forests, DFOs, deputy forest rangers, superintending engineers, executive engineers, assistant engineers, junior engineers, assistant excise and taxation commissioners, excise and taxation officers, assistant excise and taxation officers, excise and taxation inspectors, district food and civil supply controllers, assistant controllers, weights and measure officers, general managers, managers, mining officers, industrial production officers, extension officers of the Industries Department, BDOs, social education and district planning officers, JEs, panchayat secretaries, district labour officers, labour inspectors, shop inspectors and food inspectors.
In municipal committees and corporations, the commissioner, assistant commissioner, executive engineers, assistant engineers, secretary, executive officers and JEs also cannot buy property.
The orders in this regard were issued by Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena.
Any official found violating the orders shall be dealt with strictly.
Sources said conduct rules were in place since 1964 for all services. IAS and state administrative officials were also came under the ambit of these. The rules were relaxed in 1996 and 2012. However, the government today withdrew all relaxations and reinforced the bar on officials from buying property in their respective jurisdictions.