Include ministers under conflict of interest policy: Digvijay

Amid a debate on transparency, Congress leader Digvijay Singh today demanded that ministers should also come under the purview of policy on conflict of interest being framed by the Centre for officers of All India Services.

"GOI is framing a Detailed Policy on Conflict of Interest for All-India Service Officers is a welcome step and should include Ministers also," Singh commented on the microblogging site Twitter.

Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) is reportedly for the first time drafting a report on 'Policy on conflict of interest in public service'.

Singh's pitch for having such a policy for ministers comes at a time when there is growing chorus about the need for measures to ensure that ministers do not get any kind of unfair personal advantage due to decisions in areas falling under their jurisdiction.

A Group of Ministers had in June asked Government to consider a draft code of ethics for ministers and code of conduct for public servants after it was recommended by the Administrative Reforms Commission to safeguard the political neutrality and impartiality of the civil services.

The proposed policy needs to comprehensively deal with several issues of conflict of interest like bureaucrats taking up post-retirement jobs with corporate entities with whom he has dealt with while in service or taking decision regarding a company in which he is a shareholder and so on.

It will ensure that decisions as part of their official duties are not influenced by their private or individual interests.