No affidavit from pensioners needed for taking up commercial

Pensioners seeking permission from the government for taking up commercial employment within one year of retirement need not to give an affidavit affirming that there was no conflict of interest, the Centre said today.
Earlier, it was mandatory for a pensioner to file an affidavit along with a prescribed form for permission from the government to take up commercial employment.
The affidavit was to affirm that there was no conflict of interest between the policies of the office he has held in the last three years and the interest represented or work undertaken by the organisation he proposes to join, and that he was not privy to sensitive or strategic information in the last three years of his service.

The affidavit and permission was needed for a pensioner before seeking a commercial job within one year of his retirement.
The move comes as part of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) reviewing the rules for pensioners to seek commercial employment.
"There is now no requirement for obtaining an affidavit (under the new rules)," the DoPT said.

Under the revised rules, an employee needs to give a self- verified declaration.
The declaration to be furnished says that the organisation in which the person is seeking employment is not involved in activities which are in conflict with or prejudicial to India's foreign relations, national security and domestic harmony.

"The organisation is not undertaking any activity for intelligence gathering. The employment, which I propose to take up also will not entail activities which are in conflict with or involve activities prejudicial to India's foreign relations, national security and domestic harmony," reads the declaration.
The employee needs to declare that his service record is clear, particularly with respect to integrity and dealings with non-government organisations and that the proposed emoluments and pecuniary benefits are in conformity with the industry standards.
"I agree to withdraw from the commercial employment in case of any objection by the government," the declaration says.
This step comes in the wake of the NDA government's initiative to abolish affidavits from a majority of works, a DoPT official said.