Centre new rules for government employees on receiving awards from private organizations

RSD-Delhi new: Centre has issued new guidelines for government employees regarding receiving awards from private organizations. It has been clarified that prior permission must be taken from the concerned authorities before accepting them. To this extent, the Ministry of Personnel Affairs has issued a fresh order to all the central government departments.

“Before accepting the awards given by the private organizations, the government employees should take the prior permission of the concerned authorities. These permissions should be obtained from the Secretary of the Ministry or Department in which the employee is working. Government secretaries and officials of the rank of secretary should take prior permission from the Cabinet Secretary to receive these awards,” said the order. However, the Ministry of Personnel Affairs has revealed that only in exceptional circumstances should the authorities allow government employees to accept awards from private organizations. Moreover, it has been clarified that these awards should not be in the form of cash or other benefits.

According to the Central Civil Services Rules of 1964, no government employee should accept awards from private individuals. Do not attend private functions held in honor of that employee. However, these rules have been changed many times since then. The last order issued in the year 2000 on this matter made it clear that “Government employees are not allowed to take awards of monetary benefits given by private organizations and trusts”. However, as the employees are not following these rules properly, the Centre has recently issued new guidelines. It has been clarified that all the employees must follow these.