Stung by a sustained campaign against corruption and recurring allegations of draft against his Cabinet colleagues, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has asked ministers not only to declare their assets but also disclose their and dependents? business links.
In a letter written by Cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar on June 2, ministers have been told to furnish details by August 31.
?I have been directed by the prime minister to apprise you of the declarations required to be made by a member of the Union Council of Ministers in accordance with the Code of Conduct for Ministers,? Cabinet secretary KM Chandrasekhar wrote.
?In this connection, I am to inform you that in terms of the Code of Conduct details in respect of assets, liabilities, business interests conduct and management of any other business and employment of spouse and dependents under a foreign government or organisation are required to be disclosed by the members of the Union Council of Ministers,? he said.
Ministers, he said, need to ?disclose to the prime minister, or the chief minister as the case may be, details of the assets and liabilities, and of business interests, of himself and of members of his family.?
The letter also says that ministers should ?report the matter to the prime minister, or the chief minister as the case may be, if any member of his family sets up, or joins in the conduct and management of, any other business.?
What appears to be significant is Paragraph 3.2 of the letter, which states that a minister should not ?permit their spouse and dependents to accept employment under a foreign government, in India or abroad, or in a foreign organisation (including commercial concerns) without prior approval of the prime minister.?
Recently, textile minister Dayanidhi Maran has been the subject of an investigation after the Aircel-Maxis deal came under the CBI scanner.
Government watchers are saying that repeated allegations of corruption have prompted this move by the government.