Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Dec 18: The Department of Personnel and Trainings (DoPT) has reiterated its direction to the State Governments including Jammu and Kashmir to strictly adhere to its guidelines for posting only IAS and IPS officers as Deputy Commissioners and SSPs of the districts. The DoPT fresh directives came amidst reports that fresh IAS officers including natives of the State have stopped naming Jammu and Kashmir as their choice.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the DoPT has made it clear to all State Governments across the country by reiterating its directive that its guidelines on postings of IAS and IPS officers should be strictly adhered to. The DoPT has directed that only IAS and IPS officers—including Direct Recruits or those inducted into IAS and IPS from State Civil Services—should be posted as the Deputy Commissioners and the Senior Superintendents of Police in the districts.
“Presently, this guideline of the DoPT is being violated with impunity by the State Government as number of Deputy Commissioners and SSPs of the districts were non-IAS and non-IPS officers,’’ sources said, adding that violation of the guideline by the J&K Government has resulted into non-reluctance by the new IAS officers to opt for Jammu and Kashmir as their cadre, which was a very disturbing phenomenon for the DoPT.
The scrutiny of past few selections lists of the IAS officers have revealed that fresh IAS officers have stopped opting Jammu and Kashmir as their choice. This was the case with those, who were even natives of the State.
“But to say of new officers across the country, even those who were residents of Jammu and Kashmir were refusing to opt for the State,’’ sources said.
At present a number of non-IAS and non-IPS officers have been posted as the Deputy Commissioner and the SSPs of the district. The DoPT guidelines state that only those officers of the State cadre, who have been inducted into IAS and IPS can be posted as the DCs and SSPs of the State.
Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office and Incharge DoPT, Dr Jitendra Singh told the Excelsior that from time to time the DoPT keeps on telling States including Jammu and Kashmir to follow the guidelines of the Ministry.
“We have been pursuing the States for regular cadre review and post IAS and IPS officers as per DoPT guidelines,” Dr Singh said.
Sources said that today these are the IAS officers, who are refusing to make Jammu and Kashmir as their cadre and tomorrow the IPS officers can also follow the suit. It was in this context that the DoPT has reiterated its guidelines to the States and asked the State Governments to adhere to them.
Sources said the DoPT direction on posting of only IAS and IPS officers as the Deputy Commissioners and the SSPs of the districts would no way discourage State cadre officers as all State Civil Services officers, who have been inducted into IAS and IPS, will also be eligible for the postings as the DCs and SSPs.
Meanwhile, sources disclosed that some senior IAS officers of Jammu and Kashmir cadre, who were on Central deputation with the Government of India, were not keen to return to their cadre State and have frequently been seeking extension in their deputations.
At the same time, couple of senior IAS officers as well as freshers, have also applied for deputation with one of them seeking his permanent adjustment in New Delhi.
Meanwhile, the DoPT has issued fresh directive to all State Governments on the suspension of IAS officers.
“In case any IAS officer is placed under suspension by the State Government, the DoPT should be informed within 24 hours so that the Department can assess the situation and go immediately into merits and reasons behind the suspension,’’ sources said, adding the direction has been conveyed to all the State Governments.
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