Chandigarh to get six new PCS officers soon

Dushyant Singh Pundir

Chandigarh, March 12

The UT Administration is likely to get six new Punjab Civil Services (PCS) officers soon, as the Punjab Government has recalled four officers who have “overstayed” their deputation period in Chandigarh, while two other officers would complete their deputation period in June.

For the replacement of the four officers, the Punjab Government has sent a panel of 12 PCS officers to the Chandigarh Administration.

The officers who have been called back are Kuljit Pal Singh Mahi, at present serving as Additional Deputy Commissioner, who joined the Chandigarh Administration in 2016; Rubinderjit Singh Brar, posted as Chief General Manager, CITCO, who had joined UT in 2015; Navjot Kaur, Director, Social Welfare Department, who joined in Chandigarh in 2015; and Jagjit Singh, Director, Higher Education, who joined here in 2017.

The extended deputation period of Rakesh Kumar Popli, posted as Secretary, Chandigarh Housing Board, and Director, Hospitality, who had joined the UT Administration in 2016; and Tejdeep Singh Saini, posted as SDM (Central) and Director Sports, who joined the UT in 2017, would end in June this year. The Administration would invite a panel of officers from Punjab for their replacement soon.

Amarpreet Singh, a social activist, said the government should frame a policy to avoid frequent inter-cadre transfer of officers so that the unnecessary delay was not caused to the ongoing projects.

As per the inter-cadre deputation policy, an official on deputation can stay in Chandigarh for a maximum period of three years. However, a former officer said the deputation period could be extended by two years in extraordinary circumstances, but with the approval of the Central Government.