BANGALORE, NOV 25: The senior IAS lobby in Karnataka has decided to support the demand for the setting up of a state Civil Services Board (CSB) to facilitate transparent decision-making on postings, promotions and transfer of officials.

The move has been suggested independent of the package of administrative reforms being mooted by the Centre. At the same time, the reported remarks of Prime Minister I K Gujral indicating the proposal to have State Chief Secretaries and Director Generals of Police appointed directly by the Centre, has not been officially communicated to the states, sources said.

The Centre has invited the views of the various state governments on the issue of CSBs, though Karnataka is yet to officially finalise its response to the proposal. A note from the Union Secretary, Department of Personnel, written in early September had asked the State Governments to finalise its views by the end of the month, but the exercise is only now being undertaken by Karnataka.

In the note, the Centre had underlined the view that the ``single most important reason for the demoralisation and sense of insecurity among the officers of the All India Services is the frequent and arbitrary manner of transfers and postings in many states''.

Meanwhile at its last monthly meeting, held recently, the IAS officers' Association has decided to independently submit a memorandum to the State Government supporting the demand for the setting up of a CSB in the State.

This, even as the central proposal comes in the wake of the CMs' Conference where the issue of evolving institutional arrangements was discussed, as part of an Action Plan for Effective and Responsive Governments at the Central and State levels.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.