The center allows IAS and IPS officers to store gifts received from foreign dignitaries

The Center amended a 50-year-old rule to allow IAS, IPS and IFoS officers to retain gifts received from foreign dignitaries while being members of the Indian delegation, according to an official order. Existing rules allowed such agents to accept gifts from close relatives or personal friends not having official relations with them, on occasions such as weddings, birthdays, funerals and religious functions when the the making of gifts is in accordance with prevailing religious and social practice. .

But they must report to the government if the value of such a gift exceeds Rs 25,000, the rules say.

Gifts include free transportation, free boarding, free accommodation, or any other pecuniary service or benefit when provided by someone other than a close relative or personal friend who has no official relationship with the officer, but do not include a casual meal, the occasional lift, or other social activities. hospitality.

“No member of the service will accept a gift without government sanction if the value of a gift exceeds 5,000 rupees”, states the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968, applicable to officers of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) , Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS).

The service member should avoid accepting lavish hospitality or frequent hospitality from people having official relations with them or industrial or commercial enterprises or other organizations, these rules say.

The Department of Personnel has now amended these rules and inserted a new sub-rule under Article 11 of the All India Services (Conduct) Rules, 1968.

“… a member of the service, member of the Indian delegation or otherwise, may receive and retain gifts from foreign dignitaries in accordance with the provisions of the Rules on Foreign Contributions (Acceptance or Retention of Gifts or Presentations), 2012, such as changed from time to time ”, read the recently changed rule.

In March of last year, the Ministry of Personnel sought comments from state governments on the proposed rules.

“… currently there is no provision in the ISA Rules of Conduct, 1968, regarding the receipt / retention of gifts from foreign dignitaries by ISA members forming part of the Indian delegation or otherwise. Therefore, it was decided with the approval of a competent authority to insert a new sub-rule … “he said in a statement dated March 3 last year.

They were asked to send responses by March 31, 2020, failing which it would be “presumed that the state government has no objection to the proposed amendments”.

Gifts received from foreign dignitaries, from known or unknown sources, are usually deposited with the “toshakhana” – a custodian of such items – at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.