Lucknow, Dec 24 : Uttar Pradesh is notorious for its affluent politicians and bureaucrats. Now a new report by the state vigilance department says even clerks in the state government have been found owning assets far beyond their known and legitimate sources of income.

According to the report, "as many as 364 clerks have been identified as 'crorepatis' (multi-millionaires) at the state headquarters alone".

A senior vigilance official told IANS Thursday that "the list of these clerks would shortly be submitted to higher-ups for suitable action".

"As many as 131 of these clerks were attached to the lucrative housing and urban development sectors, while the remaining were working in education, health, rural development and panchayati raj departments," the official said.

Significantly, some of these clerks were so affluent that their wealth could put even a business magnate to shame.

Take for example a lower division assistant in the education department, who not only owns a cold storage, but also a shopping complex in Bareilly. His wife contested a state assembly election and lost.

Another education department clerk was the owner of three palatial bungalows in Azamgarh. Besides, he has half a dozen cars, registered in the name of different family members.

Similarly a junior clerk who joined the health department barely two years ago was stated to have purchased a penthouse worth over Rs. 1 crore in Lucknow's poshest area.

"The list is long and an eye-opener," said the vigilance official, who was waiting for a green signal from the top to proceed against these "petty" functionaries.

"Once we have the government's sanction, cases under the Prevention of Corruption Act would be registered against them for holding disproportionate assets," he added.(IANS)