PM lays down new dos and don’ts for colleagues

Close on the heels of a move to set assessment parameters for ministers, prime minister Manmohan Singh laid down dos and don’ts for cabinet colleagues. Ministers will have to declare their business interests and details of assets and liabilities and of their family members too.

Singh told them to stay away from businesses that supply goods to the government. “Ministers should divest themselves of interests in business and its management and in business concerns that supply goods or services to the government or its undertakings,’’ the directive says.

Besides the mandatory declaration of assets and liabilities, Singh has told UPA ministers to declare details of share holdings in public limited companies. He also told ministers to refrain from starting or joining a business till they are in office.

Singh expects colleagues to take his approval before family members take up work with multinationals.

“A minister, including Union ministers, chief ministers and state ministers should not permit their spouse and dependants to accept employment under a foreign government and foreign organisation (including commercial concerns) without prior approval from the PM,’’ the directive states.

He told ministers to divest themselves from firms “whose business depends on licences, permits, quotas and leases received or to be received from government’’.