A recently announced State government policy on deputation of IAS, IPS, IFS and IRS officials of Maharashtra domicile but working with outside State cadre is likely to ignite yet another round of infighting within bureaucrats as IRS officials have been singled out and their prospects of getting important posts curtailed to great extent.
As per the policy announced on August 3, officials of Maharashtra domicile and other State cadre working with Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Indian Defence Estates Service (IDES), Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS), Indian Postal Services (IPOS) and Indian Information Service (IIS) will get deputation in Maharashtra only if their spouses are presently working with the State government. No other reason will be entertained.
On the contrary, IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officials can get deputation on any personal reason.
Contrary to the earlier examples, the policy has now clarified that IRS, IDES, IRTS, IPOS officials will not be appointed to posts where officers from IAS, IPS and IFS cadre are meant to be appointed. In the past, the State witnessed many IRS cadre officials being appointed to posts meant for the IAS, recent being Pallavi Darade, who worked as Commissioner, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the previous government.
According to sources within the General Administration Department (GAD), the move will virtually block the possibility for IRS officials of Maharashtra domicile to work on deputation in home State. These officials work with Income Tax department, GST, customs and other tax related offices.
Interestingly, the policy comes weeks after former Chief Secretary Ajoy Mehta’s deal of a flat at Nariman Point in south Mumbai came under the Income Tax department’s scanner.
“IAS officers never willingly allow deputation of officials from other cadre to posts meant for them. In addition, the State bureaucracy is witnessing infighting between Marathi and non-Marathi IAS officials. All this has culminated into this policy. It will have long-lasting and explosive repercussions on officers’ lobby,” said a senior IAS official, on the condition of anonymity.
