The State government is apparently feeling the pinch of shortage of all-India service officers, given the kind of programmes and projects being taken up by it.
Only 165 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers are working in the State as against the total sanctioned strength of 211.
The government wrote a letter to the Centre, urging it to review the requirement and allotment.
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The problem is more acute at the senior level as many of the officers have opted to work in the Central government or on foreign assignments.
Additional
responsibilities
As a result, many senior officers are given additional responsibilities. A few of them are looking after not less than three to four key departments due to the shortage.
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Things are much complicated if the Principal Secretary or the Special Chief Secretary goes on leave.
“In the absence of full-time IAS officer, a person of the same rank has to be made in charge. When it comes to Special Chief Secretary going on leave, filling the slot temporarily is a tricky issue,” says a senior official, who doesn’t want to be quoted.
The state government has been asking the Centre to have a review in respect of appointing IAS officers in various posts. Every four to five years, the Centre will review its AIS cadre posts for redeployment. The Centre is allotting 5 to 6 officers every year while the requirement is going up by 10 to 11. The shortage is likely to continue for another six years, sources say.
Among the available officers, about 15 are working with the Centre on deputation. There is a shortage of 46 officers. In the total allotment of IAS posts, 33% should be filled by promotees and the remaining through direct recruitment.
“The direness of the situation has been communicated to the Centre and we are hoping for some positive response from the Department of Personnel and Training,” says a senior official.