The Cabinet Division has again directed government departments to deposit all gifts received by the government and public functionaries irrespective of their prices in Toshakhana. In this regard, the Cabinet Division has also issued a procedure for the acceptance and disposal of gifts.
According to the Cabinet Division’s latest circular, all gifts received by government or public functionaries, irrespective of their price, must be reported and deposited in Toshakhana of the Cabinet Division, without fail. The Cabinet Division, in the future, will not process cases or get assessments done till the gifts have been deposited at Toshakhana as per the procedure.
The Division’s O.M. from December 2018, on the above-noted subject, available on the website of the Cabinet Division, states that the responsibility rests with the individual recipient to report receipt of the gift(s) to the Cabinet Division. All gifts received by government/public functionaries, irrespective of their value, must be reported and deposited immediately in the Toshakhana of the Cabinet Division.
The O.M. further states that action will be taken against those who do not report the receipt of a gift under the relevant rules. However, it has been observed that, despite clear policy instructions, some of the recipients either do not report or deposit the gifts in Toshakhana immediately or keep the gifts with themselves even after assessing their value, which is against the policy, the Cabinet Division maintained.
