BHOPAL: The state’s Indian Administrative Service (IAS) Officers Association has been asked by the state government’s Public Works Department (PWD) to pay over Rs 34.56 lakh as outstanding rent of its two premises in Bhopal or else face eviction.
A notice issued on October 24, 2019 by the PWD executive engineer mentions that two government houses, EN-1/3 and 1/4 in Char Imli area of Bhopal were allotted to the state IAS Officer’s body since January 1, 1999, but the stipulated rent of the two residential properties has not been paid.
An amount of Rs 34,56,360 was due on the Association as on September 30, the notice said. The Association has been asked to pay the due sum within 15 days of the issuance of notice (October 24), failing which the outstanding rent will continue to rise at double the prevailing market rate. The matter came to light following an RTI query by social activist Ajay Dubey.
“The issue is very serious, particularly as it’s the body of IAS officers, comprising top bureaucrats of the state, which has defaulted and avoided paying the rent. It clearly amounts to the misuse of power and position,” the social activist Ajay Dubey said on Sunday.
President of state IAS Officer Association Gauri Singh (presently the Additional Chief Secretary-Panchayat and Rural Development in MP Government), informed “The notice has just come to my notice. We’ll be looking at the details of the rent liability and will resolve the issue at the earliest.”
