IAS lobby unhappy

Tribune News Service

Dehradun, August 10

Promotion of 32 PCS officers (enhanced grade pay) from the ordinary grade to the senior grade by the Department of Personnel has left IAS officers seething. Though the service rules for IAS and PCS officers are different, the former are demanding change in the rules.

Earlier this week, around 32 PCS (18 direct recruits and 14 promoted from the posts of tehsildar) officers were promoted to the senior cadre of Rs 7,600 (from Rs 6,600) grade pay by invoking the “The Uttarakhand Government Servants Relaxation in Qualifying Service for Promotion 2010” rule.

These officers, who had completed six years of service, were given relaxation for promotion. They were awaiting promotion since 2013 when the Departmental Promotion Committee had taken up their case, but due to a legal tangle, the promotions could not be effected in 2013.

However, the relaxation rule has not gone down well with the IAS lobby here.

According to the rule, a relaxation may be given in the length of service for 12 to six years to PCS officers, once in their entire service period provided that the required number of eligible officers are not available in the field of eligibility.

The IAS officers, who are still in the Rs 6,600 grade pay, say such a relaxation provision does not exist in their service rules. But the IAS officers’ association in the state has made it a prestige issue, forcing the Chief Secretary to look into the rules that exists since the days of Uttar Pradesh.

“IAS officers enjoy several privileges that we do not have. The state had framed these rules and we are fully within our rights to receive the benefit,” said a member of the Uttarakhand Civil Service Executive branch office-bearer.