New Delhi: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu wants to cut the state’s sanctioned IAS and IFS strength, saying several officers don’t have enough work and the move will help save around Rs 200 crore annually. But serving and retired civil servants from the state say the government’s reasoning does not add up. They point to officers overseeing multiple departments and question whether cutting sanctioned posts will actually deliver the claimed savings.
“The changes should come after going through the cadre strength and its policy. Money shouldn’t be the reason to cut off the officers. And it isn’t true that IAS don’t have work. There could be some light postings, but there are officers who have multiple departments,” said a serving IAS officer in Himachal Pradesh on the condition of anonymity.
The state government plans to submit the proposal to the central government soon.
“We are going to reduce the number of administrative positions. The 153 sanctioned IAS positions will be reduced to 130, and 118 IFS positions to 83. IPS positions will also be reduced. Many officers do not have sufficient work, due to which their full capacity is not being utilised,” CM Sukhu told the media.
The state aims to cut 53 positions in total. He added that transfers to Delhi are already being approved.
“Therefore, files of officers who wish to go to Delhi are being approved immediately. Previously, such files were held up; now, along with granting approval, the process of relieving them is also being completed quickly,” he added.
‘The problem is favouritism’
Retired IAS officers call Sukhu’s statement bizarre, and say the statement could change in the next few years.
“There is clearly a problem of loyalty and favouritism—some officers are favoured, and some are not,” said Deepak Shanan, retired IAS officer from Himachal cadre.
He also rejects the assertion that reducing the posts will save the state Rs 200 crore.
“Twenty-three people don’t amount to Rs 200 crore. These are banal, idiotic statements. They are meaningless,” said Shanan.
According to the information available on the Himachal Pradesh government’s website, IAS Devesh Kumar is Principal Secretary for six departments, including finance, planning, public works and animal husbandry.
IAS Abhishek Jain heads five departments, including finance, planning, jal shakti and technical education. Similarly, Ashish Singhmar handles six departments, including health, general administration, parliamentary affairs, and digital technologies & governance.
Shanan claims that officers are handed charges based on personal preference, not performance.
“There is no real criterion of efficiency or performance. It is all based on the personal preferences of the chief minister. Such statements should obviously be very properly thought out and evidence-based. But that is not the tradition. The chief minister makes off-the-cuff statements all the time which have no meaning,” he added.
(Edited by Prasanna Bachchhav)
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