TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: A circular issued by the Goa Lokayukta has called upon all public functionaries to declare their assets in compliance with the Lokayukta Act, 2011. The Lokayukta has declared August 1, 2013 as the last date for submitting the reports in full form to it, in the prescribed format.
Under Section 2(q) of the Act the State public functionaries includes the Chief Minister, the Minister and the MLAs of Goa. Another category of public functionaries are the president or vice-president or chairman or vice-chairman or secretary or managing director (by whatever name called) of — a local authority, a government company as defined in Section 617 of the Company Act, a statutory body or Corporation or Board established by/under a statute and owned and controlled by the Government of Goa, including a co-operative society registered or deemed to be registered under the Goa Co-operative Societies Act, 2001 or any other law in force in Goa, any other corporation or board or society (registered in Goa), owned or controlled by the Government of Goa.
The third category of public functionary includes a member of a local authority, a member of the State Transport Authority or any Regional Transport Authority.
In addition, functionaries of private bodies are deemed public functionaries. The chairman or manager or secretary or corresponding authority in control of the administration of a private school, a private college, whether affiliated to Goa University or not, or a private engineering college or polytechnic whether under individual or corporate management, but, which receives or has received aid or grant from the government under the Goa, Daman and Diu School Education Act, 1984, or any other relevant law are public functionaries under the Act.
The fifth category is a person in the service or pay of a local authority, university, statutory body, or corporation, society, government company or any other institution. Also a person who has received government grant of whatever nature to the tune of Rs one lakh or more in a financial year for any purpose will have to declare their assets.
All government secretaries, head of offices, and department will also have to file their returns in the method prescribed ie reporting to their superiors.
As per the provision of Sub-Section (2) of Section 21 if no such statement is received by the Lokayukta from any such public functionary within the time, the Lokayukta shall make a report to the competent authority and send a copy of the report to the public functionary concerned. If within two months of such report the public functionary does not submit the Statement of Assets and Liabilities, the Lokayukta shall publish or cause to be published the names of such public functionary in two newspapers having wide circulation in the State with a report to the Governor who may then place the matter before the Legislative Assembly of Goa.
