Data shows that until October 2024, of the AIS officers working at Centre as secy, additional secy & joint secy, only 7 were from Maharashtra & 12 from UP—2 of the largest cadres of AIS.
From the officers’ viewpoint, the best part is that the cadre controlling authority is the Ministry of Home Affairs, while in all other cadres, it is the state government.
Sanjeev Khirwar & Rinku Dhugga were transferred to Ladakh and Arunachal in May after a media report said a sports stadium in Delhi was closed early to athletes so couple could walk their dog.
‘Punishment’ postings are not new. If you want to punish an IAS officer through transfer, which has been the practice in several states and now Centre, there is no need to search for ‘hard areas.’
J&K cadre was merged with AGMUT last year. Now, UT of J&K has been allotted 70 IPS posts and Ladakh 10. Fewer positions likely to fall vacant with J&K categorised as ‘hard area’.
Areas under AGMUT cadre are divided into 'Regular' & 'Hard', based on topography & sensitivity. Officers posted there get incentives. Arunachal & Mizoram are other 'Hard Areas'.
The Italian term sprezzatura—a studied nonchalance that conceals intention—best captures the spirit of Trump’s foreign policy so far. The pattern is unpredictability, transactionalism, and disruption as diplomacy.
With 20.2 percent of its total loans in default by the end of last year, Bangladesh had the weakest banking system in Asia. Despite reforms, it will take time to recover.
This world is being restructured and redrawn by one man, and what’s his power? It’s not his formidable military. It’s trade. With China, it turned on him.
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