J&K initiates process for SFS officers’ induction into IFoS

13 years long wait to be over soon

Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Aug 27: Following nod from the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, the Forests Department of the Union Territory administration has set the process in motion for induction of 28 State Forest Services (SFS) into Indian Forest Services (IFoS).

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This comes close on the heels of induction of 14 serving officers of Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Services (JKAS) into Indian Administrative Services (IAS) and eight officers of Jammu and Kashmir Police Services (JKPS) into Indian Police Services (IPS).

Official sources told the Excelsior that soon after receiving the communication from the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests giving nod to induction of 28 SFS officers into IFoS, the Union Territory administration has initiated the process for identification of the officers in seniority for induction which will be followed by Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) clearance, consent of the officers and other requisite formalities.

“Out of total 28 vacancies for induction of SFS officers into IFoS, highest number of 14 have been identified for the year 2013, six for the year 2018, three for the year 2019, two for the year 2017 and one each for 2020, 2021 and 2023,'' the sources said.

This will be after 13 years that the SFS officers will be inducted into IFoS.

As per the sources, only once all formalities required for induction are completed, the Forest Department of the Jammu and Kashmir Government will seek meeting of the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) which has to clear the induction of State/UT cadre officers into the All India Services (AIS).

The UPSC meeting is attended among others by the Chief Secretary, Administrative Secretary Forests Department and representatives of the Union Ministry for Environment and Forests.

The issue for induction of SFS officers into IFoS was taken up by the UT administration a long ago but it was delayed due to completion of many formalities as the inductions hadn't taken place for the last 13 years. All the issues, existing rules etc were examined by the UT administration followed by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests. The process of induction remained paralysed for more than 13 years because of prolonged litigation over the constitution of a valid `State Forest Service'.

It was in the first week of this month that the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests after examining all issues in detail directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to go ahead with the proposal for induction of 28 SFS officers into IFoS and also determined the vacancies year-wise.

The recruitment into the IFS is governed by two methods including direct recruitment through UPSC and induction via promotion quota. Sixty six percent of posts are filled through direct recruitment by the UPSC while the rest 33 percent are reserved for promotion of SFS officers.

The proposal for induction of SFS officers into IFoS comes within days after induction of 14 serving JKAS officers into IAS (a formal notification expected to be issued shortly) and eight JKPS officers into IPS by the UPSC on the basis of proposals moved by the General Administration Department (GAD) and the Home Department respectively. A formal order for induction of JKPS officers into IPS is also expected to be issued shortly by the MHA, the sources said.

And, the proposed induction of SFS officers into IFoS will give boost to morale of the local officers, the sources said.