Call it the Durga Nagpal effect or the political turmoil in Uttar Pradesh, but a large number of bureaucrats are now queuing up for a Central deputation while those already on Central deputation are reluctant to return to the state.
According to sources in the state appointment department, over three dozen bureaucrats have applied for a Central deputation but the state government, for reasons unknown, is holding back the no-objection certificate (NOC).
Most of these officers who are being denied an NOC are those who wielded influence in the Mayawati government. “This is the present government’s way of taking revenge on us,” said one of the officers.
“UP has a cadre strength of 592 and over 100 officers are already on Central deputation. At present, we have an effective strength of about 476 officers since some officers are on study leave, some are on long leave, others are on non-government postings. This leaves a shortfall of about 116 IAS officers. In such a situation, we cannot afford to relieve more officers for deputation. In any case, we have officers holding multiple charges of departments,” said an appointment department official.
The main reason for this shortfall is the refusal of IAS officers on Central deputation to return to their parent cadre even after the expiry of their five-year term.
“These officers are using all their connections in Delhi to extend their term on one pretext or the other and this creates problem in the state,” the official explained.
One such IAS officer who has been on Central deputation for the past 13 years told this correspondent on phone, “The situation in Uttar Pradesh is hardly conducive for us to want to return. The work culture has been demolished and political affiliation of the bureaucracy is at its peak. A neutral officer, in such circumstances, cannot work. Personally, I would opt for VRS rather than return and face the muck in UP.”
Another officer whose five year term is expiring early next year, said, “I am dreading returning to UP and am trying to get an extension. The recent events (read Durga Nagpal) have instilled a sense of fear and insecurity amongst us and most of us are wary of returning to Lucknow.”
The state government, on its part, couldn’t care less about ensuring the return of its officers whose deputation term has expired.
According to sources, a top Samajwadi leader recently contacted some senior UP cadre officers in Delhi and asked them to return to their parent cadre but the officers clearly said that they would not be able to work in the prevailing conditions. Even the offer of a posting in the chief minister’s secretariat could not lure them back.
When asked to comment on the situation, a former chief secretary said, “This is a result of the politicisation of the bureaucracy.”
Independence of the executive has been demolished and no self-respecting officer can work in such conditions. That explains why no one wants to return to UP and more and more officers are keen to get away from here.”