CHENNAI: From now on, a State government servant will be able to accept a gift exceeding the value of Rs 25,000 instead of the earlier prescribed Rs 5,000 after the government amended Government Servants’ Conduct Rules 1973.The Rules, which were amended on March 5 through a Government Order, state that government servants in the cadre of Group A, B, C and D can accept a gift of a value exceeding Rs 25,000 from a personal friend or close relation on special occasions when the making of or receiving of such gifts is in conformity with the prevailing religious or social customs.
The Personal and Administrative Reforms department has also amended the rules wherein government servants belonging to Group-A, B, C and D, can now borrow money not exceeding Rs 5 lakh, free of interest, from any private individual for purchase of flat or constructed house or house plot.Earlier, government servants under Group-B, C and D categories were prescribed the ceiling wherein they could not borrow above Rs 3 lakh free of interest from any private individuals.
Now the group-A servants have also been included in the list of government servant, sources added. The GO increasing the gift ceiling was issued by the Personnel and Administrative Reforms (A) department, in line with the revised pay structures.
Similarly, the government has now fixed the total monthly emoluments as value for a government servant who enters into transaction concerning any movable property exceeding the total monthly emoluments in value, whether by want of purchase or sale, shall report it to the authority within a month from the date of such transaction. Earlier, the rules had split the transaction based on category of officers. For Group A Officer, any movable property exceeding Rs 80,000; Rs 60,000 in value in respect of ‘B’ Group Officers; Rs 40,000 in value in respect of ‘C’ Group Officers were prescribed and it has to be reported within one month.