Himachal To Cut IAS, IFS Strength To Reduce Bureaucratic Costs
Himachal proposes fewer senior officers amid financial pressures.
The Himachal Pradesh government is planning to reduce the sanctioned strength of Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Forest Service (IFS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers in the state as part of an effort to lower bureaucratic expenditure. Officials said a formal proposal seeking changes in the number of All India Services officers will soon be sent to the central government for consideration.
Under the proposal, the number of IAS officers in Himachal Pradesh would be reduced from 153 to 130, representing a reduction of 23 posts. The proposed strength of IFS officers would fall from 118 to 83, a reduction of 35 posts. The government has not yet specified the number of IPS posts it intends to reduce. Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the state needs a smaller and more effective administrative structure rather than a large pool of officers.
Sukhu said the state's actual requirement could be between 100 and 110 IAS officers, but the government is seeking a reduction of only 23 officers at this stage. He argued that the objective was to have officers who could effectively implement government policies and welfare schemes. The Chief Minister also said the state would continue to permit All India Services officers to opt for central deputation and would provide immediate permission for those seeking such assignments.
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According to officials, more than 20 IAS officers and over a dozen IPS and IFS officers are currently on deputation. Some officers are also occupying positions within the state that are outside their regular cadre assignments. The proposed restructuring is intended to take these existing arrangements into account while ensuring that the number of officers posted to the state better reflects its administrative requirements.
The Himachal Pradesh government is also expected to ask the Centre to avoid allocating additional central service officers to the state. Officials estimate that the annual cost of maintaining an All India Services officer, including salary, dearness allowance, attached staff and other benefits, ranges between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 50 lakh. A reduction in the sanctioned strength could therefore help the state lower recurring administrative expenditure at a time when controlling government costs remains a priority.
The proposal will now have to be considered by the central government before any changes are made to the sanctioned strength of the services. The move comes as the Himachal Pradesh government seeks to balance its administrative requirements with financial constraints. The final number of IAS, IFS and IPS officers allocated to the state will depend on the outcome of discussions between the state and Centre.
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