Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 17: The Government of India has extended for two years the promotion quota of Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officers for Jammu and Kashmir on 50:50 basis till December 2015, which would benefit local cadre officers in promotions as the order had expired on December 2013.
Official sources told the Excelsior that the Centre has conveyed to Governor NN Vohra, who had taken up the matter of promotion order of IAS officers, that an order has been issued with retrospective effect from December 2013 for a period of two years i.e. December 2015.
“In between, the newly elected Government in the State would take a decision on whether to go ahead with 50:50 basis promotion quota or shift to 67:33 at par with other States,’’ sources said.
The Government decision would end the shortage of IAS officers, which had gripped the State, as KAS officers would get chance of promotion to the IAS,’’ they said.
All other States of the country barring Jammu and Kashmir had fixed the quota of 67:33 for IAS officers i.e. they get 67 per cent IAS officers from the Government of India after their selection through the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC) while 33 per cent from promotion of State cadre officers.
However, Jammu and Kashmir had its own rule under which they only get 50 per cent of the IAS officers from the country and promote rest of the 50 per cent from within the State cadre.
“The Jammu and Kashmir Government had to extend its order after regular intervals to keep the ratio of 50:50 intact but the latest order had expired on December 2013. Governor NN Vohra had taken up the issue of expiry of order due to which the local cadre officers were suffering with Union Minister for Personnel and Training Dr Jitendra Singh,’’ sources said, adding that Dr Singh has issued the order till December 2015.
“The order has been extended by two years till December 2015, which will benefit the local cadre officers. In the meantime, the newly elected Government can take a call on the ratio,’’ Dr Jitendra Singh said.
He added that the Centre has allotted four new IAS officers to Jammu and Kashmir after their training. They belonged to 2014 batch.
According to sources, the Centre would have allotted more IAS officers to Jammu and Kashmir if they had the ratio of 67:33 like other States.
However, with extension of the order, the State Government would be in a position to promote the local cadre officers to the IAS.
“The process can be set into motion shortly,’’ sources said.
The Governor and Chief Secretary Mohammad Iqbal Khandey had been pursuing the matter with the Centre for extension of the order beyond December 2013 to lead to promotion avenues for local cadre officers as well overcome shortage of the IAS officers faced by Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources said that it would now solely depend upon the new Government, which would take over helm of affairs in the State on whether to go ahead with 67:33 ratio for IAS officers or adopt 50:50 pattern being pursued by other State Governments.
Follow our WhatsApp channel