Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday sought the kind intervention of Punjab Governor Banwari Lal Purohit for maintaining a ratio of 60:40 between the states of Punjab and Haryana for filling up of civil posts in the Chandigarh Administration.
Mann, in a letter to the Governor, asserted that following the reorganisation of the State of Punjab in 1966, officers are generally taken on inter-cadre deputation with the approval of the Government of India against some posts, such as Home Secretary, Finance Secretary, Deputy Commissioner and Commissioner, Municipal Corporation.
He said that in past, the posts of Finance Secretary and Municipal Corporation Commissioner are filled up by IAS officers from Punjab cadre, while those of Home Secretary and Deputy Commissioner are manned by IAS officers from Haryana Cadre. “These officers are chosen after a rigorous selection process and they are given charges of various key departments as well. However, over the last few years, it has been noticed that the strength of IAS officers from the AGMUT cadre has been consistently increasing in the Chandigarh Administration and most of the important posts, which were earlier with Punjab cadre, IAS officers are being given to the IAS officers from AGMUT cadre,” he added.
He added that it was pertinent to mention that the key departments of Health, Education, Industries, Agriculture, Labour and Employment, Information Technology, Food and Supplies, Cooperation, Sports and Chandigarh Housing Board which were earlier with the Finance Secretary have been given to much junior AGMUT cadre IAS officers. The post of CITCO managing director, which is reserved for a Punjab cadre IAS officer, has also been given to a UT cadre IAS officer, he added.
The Chief Minister said that the officers without requisite experience and knowledge of the UT Chandigarh and intricate linkages with issues of Punjab and Haryana, often dither in taking swift decisions and implementing the ones taken. “It has a negative bearing on the quality of governance and administration...These developments are in clear violation of the spirit of Punjab Re-organisation Act, 1966, and undermine the status and morale of Punjab officers,” he added.
Asserting that the Punjab Government has been recommending officers of outstanding capabilities for deputation posts, Mann urged the Governor to personally look into the matter so that the IAS officers from Punjab cadre on deputation with Chandigarh Administration are assigned departments as per the well-laid out convention and without any discrimination.