Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Oct 24: The Department of Personnel and Trainings (DoPT), Government of India, has cleared a proposal sent by the State Government for six-month extension in the services of Chief Secretary BB Vyas beyond November 30, when he is due to retire.
In another development, the State Government has written to the DoPT seeking return of four senior IAS officers to Jammu and Kashmir from Central deputation on the ground that their services were required in the State. In return, the State Government has offered to clear deputation of a couple of IAS officers, who have applied for it.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the DoPT has approved the proposal forwarded by Jammu and Kashmir Government seeking six-month extension in the services of Vyas, a 1986 batch IAS officer of Jammu and Kashmir cadre, who was appointed as Chief Secretary on April 28 this year in place of BR Sharma, who had proceeded on Central deputation and is presently posted as Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Vyas is due to retire on November 30.
Sources said following approval by the DoPT, the proposal for extension in services of the Chief Secretary would now go to Appointment Committee of Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The ACC is likely to clear the DoPT proposal,” sources said but added that the ACC would decide whether to grant extension in services of the Chief Secretary for six months in one go.
Generally, according to sources, the extension is granted for three months and further extended for another three months. There is provision of maximum extension of six months, sources said, adding the ACC would take a call in its next meeting as there was more than a month left in the services of BB Vyas.
The State Government had forward proposal to the DoPT last month seeking extension in the services of Vyas for six months, which would take his tenure up to May 31.
Sources said the Centre has conveyed to the State Government that services of the Chief Secretary would be extended for six months, either in one go or in the parts i.e. three months each twice. Previously, the State Government wanted fixed tenure of two years for the Chief Secretary; on the pattern of certain posts in the Union Government like Cabinet Secretary, Home Secretary, Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary etc. However, the Centre seemed averse to such a demand on the ground that more State Governments would come up with a similar demand.
Prior to his appointment as the Chief Secretary in April this year, Vyas had held several prestigious posts in the State including Principal Secretary to Governor and Principal Secretary to three Chief Ministers-Omar Abdullah, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and Mehbooba Mufti.
Meanwhile, the State Government has written to the DoPT seeking return of four senior IAS officers to Jammu and Kashmir on the ground that they were on Central deputation for quite a longtime and now their services were required in the State.
The IAS officers, who return has been sought by the State Government, included Atal Dulloo, presently posted as Joint Secretary in the Union Ministry of Rural Development Department, Arun Kumar Mehta, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, PK Tripathi, Joint Secretary in the DoPT, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions and Sudanshu Pandey, Joint Secretary in the Department of Commerce, Government of India.
When contacted, Union Minister Incharge DoPT, Dr Jitendra Singh told the Excelsior that the State Government has requested to the Ministry for repatriation of some IAS officers from the Central deputation to Jammu and Kashmir.
“The State Government request is being considered,” Dr Jitendra Singh said.
However, according to sources, most of the IAS officers, whose repatriation has been sought by the State Government from Central deputation, were reluctant to return to Jammu and Kashmir on different pretexts.
The State Government, in turn, has offered to release couple of IAS officers from Jammu and Kashmir for Central deputation. It may be mentioned here that some IAS officers have approached the State Government seeking Central deputation.
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