MHA for more Central cadre officials in UT

In a bid to have a firmer control over the functioning of the UT Administration, the Ministry of Home Affairs is now considering having more Central cadre officials in Chandigarh. This, despite the fact that the Union Territory of Chandigarh has a unique character with earmarked posts of officials from Punjab and Haryana.

The MHA has shot off a letter to the UT Administration seeking its reply on appointing officers from DANICS for different posts which are currently being held by the officers of the Haryana Civil Services (HCS)and Punjab Civil Services (PCS).

Sources said after having an enhanced number of the AGMUT cadre officials, soon the UT Administration might also have civil servants from the Delhi Andaman Nicobar Island Civil Services (DANICS) in place of the HCS, PCS officers. However, this might disturb the existing system of filling the posts in the UT Administration in 60: 40 ratio with Haryana, Punjab officers respectively.

As of now, the DANICS cadre officers, who are very limited in number, are transferred to Union Territories other than Chandigarh.

Sources said the letter had been sent to all the union territories in the country, Chandigarh being one of them.

The officers in the DANICS cadre who are proposed to be transferred are on a par with the state cadre officers such as HCS and PCS.

When contacted, Advisor to the UT Administrator K K Sharma said, "We have received a communication from the Ministry of Home Affairs in pursuance of the general review of DANICS cadre. We will be sending our response after taking due account of the existing arrangements that are already in place."

Sources said the matter was also being discussed with UT Administrator Shivraj V Patil.

In the past, there was an uproar in the Punjab and Haryana government at the time of filling of two newly sanctioned secretary-level posts which ultimately led to cadre war among the officials of different cadres and states in UT.

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