Srinagar, Feb 20 (KNS): With recent retirement of at least five IAS officers and 11 J&K Cadre top babus already on central deputation, the Jammu and Kashmir government is facing severe shortage of IAS officers.
Official sources told KNS that several bureaucrats have been burdened with dual charge or in some cases the work of more than two departments, seriously hampering the functioning of government offices. “The state is facing a severe shortage of IAS officers. As of now, the fixed strength of IAS officials in the state is 137 against availability of 84 officers. Out of in position 84 officers, 11, including Braj Raj Sharma, Suresh Kumar, P K Tripathi, Sudhanshu Panday, Atal Dulloo, Shantmanu, Bipul Pathak, Ashok Kumar Parmar, Manoj Kumar Dwiwedi, Mandeep Kaur and Yasha Mudgal are serving in key departments of Modi Government,” wishing anonymity, one of the top officials of the government told KNS.
Sources said that surprisingly in some government department ineligible officers are holding the posts where an IAS officer should have been posted.
The sources say that the functioning of some departments suffers more due to fewer visits of officers holding additional charges. “These administrative secretaries normally have to operate from one office only. The situation is so bad that officers often find themselves in a piquant situation because of two ministers calling meetings on the same date and at the same time,” sources maintained.
Meanwhile sources told KNS that in view shortage of bureaucrats, government is considering to raise the issue with the Centre for amendment in service rules of IAS officers in the state. “Government is considering to make amendment in service rules of IAS officers. Presently, an IAS officer is posted as secretary only if he has 13 years of service. But government is considering to appoint an IAS officer as secretary of 2009 batch even if he or she has nine years of services,” an official of the General Administration Department, said.
“If the IAS officers after 2006 batch are posted as secretaries then there would be no shortage of bureaucrats,” the official said.
The state government has been repeatedly asking the centre to shift the J&K cadre IAS officers to the state for “streamlining” the operations of administration as shortage of officers has been hitting working in different departments. “The J&K government has sought return of all IAS officers of JK cadre from the centre, but the central government has so far given a cold response,” the GAD said.
Union Minister of State In-charge DoPT, Dr Jitendra Singh recently said that Centre was trying to persuade the cadre officers to return to their states. “Even if they are unwilling, we try to motivate them. We encourage the cadre officers to revert to their states and serve the people,” he had said.
It is to mention here that recently citing a shortage of IAS bureaucrats at the middle-level, the Narendra Modi government has asked all states to spare more officers for central deputation
In a letter to all states, including Jammu and Kashmir, the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said the movement of the officers from states to the Centre and back is crucial for building capabilities at the state-level and contributing towards developing national perspectives at the decision-making levels in the government of India.
"It would, therefore, be appropriate considering the fact that there is general shortage of IAS officers at Deputy Secretary/Director level, if a conscious attempt is made while forwarding the names of the officers, so as to share the shortage proportionately between the Centre and the states and also that every eligible officer has an opportunity to serve at the Centre at least once at the middle management level," reads official communiqué. (KNS)