MK Stalin writes to PM Modi over proposed amendments to IAS Cadre Rules

Chennai Tamil Nadu India January 23 ANI Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday requesting him to drop proposed amendments to the IAS Cadre Rules, 1954 and engage with State governments to strengthen the federal spirit of the nation. The letter stated that forcing the state governments to depute officers would aggravate the governance deficit in various countries due to the shortage of officers.

The Centre has proposed an amendment to the IAS Cadre Rules of 1954 that would allow it to post IAS officers on central deputation, bypassing the reservations of state governments.

State governments are at the forefront of the implementation of various programmes including the schemes of the Union Government at State level. The letter stated that the States also have frequent natural disasters which demand the services of IAS officers in the State more than elsewhere.

This situation is something we must be aware of. The letter further stated that it was an affront to the administrative framework of the States if the State Governments were forced to depute officers due to the shortage of officers.

In the letter, Stalin stated that the proposed amendments would cause irreparable damage to the spirit of cooperative federalism that exists between the Union and the States and result in concentration of powers with the Union Government. The letter states that many of the State Governments are woefully short of officers at certain seniorities due to the wrong cadre management policies followed by the Union Government.

While the Union Government has a common pool of Group-I officers at the national level, the State Governments depend solely on the limited pool of IAS officers available in the State, it stated.