Future allocations to J&K, Ladakh from new cadre
*Prez promulgates Ordinance as Parl not in session
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 7: In a major decision, the Central Government today merged existing cadre of All India Services officers of Jammu and Kashmir into Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) and ordered that all future allocations for the Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh will also be made through the AGMUT.
An Ordinance to this effect was issued today by President Ram Nath Kovind on the recommendations of the Union Ministry of Law and Justice.
Titled the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization (Amendment) Ordinance, 2021, the Ordinance was promulgated as the Parliament is not in the session.
“The members of the Indian Administrative Services (IAS), Indian Police Services (IPS) and Indian Forest Services (IFS) for the existing cadre of Jammu and Kashmir, shall be borne and become part of the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre and all future allocations of All India Services officers for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and Union Territory of Ladakh shall be made to AGMUT cadre,” the Ordinance issued today by the President of India, read.
It said necessary modification will be made in corresponding cadre allocation rules by the Central Government.
“The officers so borne or allocated AGMUT cadre shall function in accordance with rules framed by the Central Government,” the Ordinance said.
Soon after the Ordinance was promulgated, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Incharge Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Dr Jitendra Singh tweeted: “Jammu and Kashmir has been officially merged with #AGMUT cadre. Gazette of India notification issued. This is follow-up to J&K turning into a Union Territory”.
The DoPT deals with allocation of IAS officers to different States and Union Territories after allotment of the All India Services.
While it has already been decided by the Central Government that all future allocations to the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will be made through AGMUT cadre after conversion of erstwhile State of J&K into two UTs, the complete merger of J&K cadre has shocked the serving officers of IAS, IPS and IFS.
Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh had become the two new Union Territories on August 5, 2019 after the Central Government had bifurcated erstwhile State of J&K into two UTs and abrogated special status which it enjoyed in the forms of Articles 370 and 35-A.
With today’s Ordinance, Jammu and Kashmir has become 10th State/UT to become part of AGMUT cadre.
Nine other States/UTs, which are already part of AGMUT cadre, include Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (GNCTD), Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Goa, Daman & Diu, Chandigarh, Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep and Puducherry.
Nine States/UTs have total strength of 219 IAS officers including 75 GNCTD, 42 Arunachal Pradesh, 32 Mizoram, 23 Goa, six Daman & Diu, nine Chandigarh, 15 Andaman and Nicobar, three Lakshadweep and 14 Puducherry.
Sources said there will be now wider choice for Jammu and Kashmir to choose officers from the AGMUT cadre.
The accountability and transparency level in the administration will further go up, they added.
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