Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) (India), August 18 (ANI): Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Tuesday said the state government has decided to reduce the sanctioned strength of the IAS cadre from 153 to 130, arguing that the state currently has more administrative officers than it needs.
Speaking with ANI in Shimla, Sukhu said the government has written to the Union government regarding the proposed reduction in the IAS cadre. He said his long-term view was to bring the cadre strength down further to around 110.
"There are 153 IAS officers in Himachal Pradesh, and there are many officers who are given small departments. Their talent also does not get fully utilised," Sukhu said.
The Chief Minister said the government was also working to reduce the strength of the IPS cadre, while the IFS cadre has already been proposed to be reduced from 117 to 83 posts.
According to Sukhu, rationalising the administrative cadres could reduce the government's revenue expenditure by around Rs 100-150 crore.
Responding to criticism that reducing the number of senior officers could affect the functioning of the administration, Sukhu said the state would continue to have sufficient officers to run the government.
"Officers are there. Who says there are no officers?" he said, adding that the government would not be deterred by criticism while taking decisions it considered necessary in the interest of the state.
Sukhu said the proposed cadre restructuring was part of the government's broader policy of bringing about "Vyavastha Parivartan" (systemic change) and moving Himachal Pradesh towards self-reliance.
He said Himachal Pradesh had been facing financial challenges after the discontinuation of the Revenue Deficit Grant (RDG), which he said had been available to the state since 1952.
"Some decisions are bitter, but they are in the interest of the state. Such decisions have to be taken without looking at their political impact during elections," the Chief Minister said.
While speaking to reporters separately, Sukhu said the state had more administrative posts than required and that the capacity of all officers was not being fully utilised, resulting in an additional financial burden on the government.
He also outlined proposals for "rationalizing" the strength of IAS and Indian Forest Service officers.
The Chief Minister said the objective was not to do away with officers but to keep the administrative strength within a level required by the state's needs.
He said the government's decision was based on Himachal Pradesh's administrative requirements and financial position and was aimed at streamlining the system as part of efforts to make the state self-reliant. (ANI)
Himachal CM says IAS cadre strength to be reduced to 130 from 153, pitches for bringing it further down to 110
