Nine Non-BJP Ruled States Disagree With The IAS Proposal

Nine non-BJP ruled states disagree with the IAS proposal, eight agree.

So far, nine non-BJP ruled states including Odisha, Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Jharkhand have come out in open against the Centre’s proposal on central deputation of IAS officers.

These states have told the proposal of the Center against the federal structure of the country. This information was given by the officials on Wednesday.

On the other hand, the central government has defended the proposal saying that the states are not releasing a sufficient number of Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers for deputation.

Sources in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said that the representation of IAS officers up to the level of Joint Secretary in the Center is declining.

As most of the states are not fulfilling their Central Deputation Reserve (CDR) responsibilities and their responsibilities for service at the Centre.

Indian Administrative Service officers are allotted a cadre which is a state or a union territory. Each cadre is allotted a CDR key to ensuring that officers get an opportunity to work on central deputation.

This arrangement is made to enhance the experience of the officers.

The DoPT has recently proposed changes to the IAS (Cadre) Rules, 1954, which would take away the power of the states to reject the Centre’s request for seeking officers on central deputation.

Odisha, which has joined the list of protesting states, said the move once implemented would affect the administration of the states and impact the implementation of various development projects.

Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Rajasthan have also raised their voice against the amendments.

On the other hand, eight states of Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Madhya Pradesh, UP, Gujarat, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh have given their consent to this proposal of the Centre.

Officials said Karnataka and Meghalaya had initially opposed the proposal sent to them last month, is expected to send a revised proposal. Bihar had also opposed the move earlier.

Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to drop the proposal, terming the proposed amendments “draconian” and “promoting unilateral action”.

Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was the first to raise her voice against this move.

Banerjee urged Modi to withdraw the resolution as it would create a “feeling of fear” among the officials and affect their performance.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has also urged the Prime Minister to drop the move, saying it is an attack on the country’s federal policy and at the root of the autonomy of the states.

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has said that the proposed changes would violate the constitutional jurisdiction laid down for the central and state governments.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has said that the proposed amendments are against the spirit of cooperative federalism and if implemented, the administrative system of the states may ‘crash’.

Apoorva Chandra, a Maharashtra cadre IAS officer, had said on Friday that working with both the central and state governments gives officers a broader perspective.

Citing paucity of officers, DoPT has been writing to the states seeking officers on central deputation.

The DoPT in June last year had asked all state governments to nominate more officers for central deputation at the level of deputy secretary, director, and joint secretary.

Under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS), generally, officers of the rank of Deputy Secretary, Director, and above are appointed in the Ministries, Departments of the Central Government (ie on central deputation).

According to DoPT sources, the number of IAS officers on the CDR has come down to 223 from 309 in 2011.