Telangana fights officer deficit

The Telangana government is facing serious difficulties as the state has been making progress on various key parameters, but the lack of the number of senior secretary, department heads and other key positions required by the All India Service (AIS) officials.

When the state was formed in 2014, the approved force of IAS officials was 163, while the allocated force of IPS officials was 139, while 81 Indian Forest Service (IFS) officials were approved in the state. After the center approved 45 positions for Telangana, the strength of IAS officials has increased to 208.

However, last year, the state had only 170 IAS officials, 38 fewer than the recognized force, but has not increased significantly since then. There are nine IPS officials shortages. A total of 57 IFS officials were on duty, and compared with the 81 approved forces, the threat of Maoist recovery, especially in forests and marginal areas, continues to plague the government.

Blink the gap

Faced with insufficient officials in key human-centered departments, the state has been asking the center to allocate gaps to more officials to bridge the gap in providing services to the people.

The Telangana government has repeatedly stressed the need to increase cadre strength, especially given the state’s reorganization into 33 regions for administrative convenience. Among other positions, there are also areas where there are at least 22 districts of regional collectors and police chiefs, such as co-collectors and other bureaucrats.

There is no doubt that the center acknowledges the need to increase the strength of IAS officials through direct recruitment and promotion, but asserts that the process will be distributed over a period of time.

Union Family Secretary of State Nityanand Rai told Lok Sabha in December that the review of IPS cadres in Telangana is being actively considered, but specifying a clear timeline for the process is not feasible as it will spread over a period of time.

In response to an inquiry by Bhongir MP Chamala Kiran Kumar Reddy, the minister acknowledged that Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy made proposals for cadre review in January, August and October last year.

The Telangana government received a similar proposal in 2021 and has since appointed 49 IPS officials. According to a written reply from the Ministry of Home Affairs to Lok Sabha in December last year, there are 15 direct recruitment positions in Telangana, 23 promotion positions for IAS officials and one and eight positions for IPS Cadre.

The dilemma of the state government in managing limited available resources is evident in the additional costs of multiple departments that continue to rely on senior officials.

A recent major reshuffle by IAS officials, the first major member of Mr. Revanth Reddy's takeover of the Ins Rope.

In view of the requirements of the reorganization of the region and the perceived Maoist activities, the government has been asking the center to allocate at least 60 more AIS officials and more IPS officials.

At a recent meeting with Trade Union Home Minister Amit Shah, the Chief Minister asked the Centre to allocate to 29 IPS officials, especially senior officials, to effectively maintain the legal and order status and to control the threat posed by Maoists; however, the request has not been acknowledged.

Officials accused the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) of not taking steps to modify the measures in the past nine years (Telangana allocated 45 IAS officials in 2016). According to the specification, the DOPT should modify the strength of cadres every five years.

With Telangana growing at a much higher rate than in other states, the center should actively consider the state’s increase in the allocation of AIS officials, as this will go a long way toward effective implementation of plans and plans. For the greater good of the entire people, this step is an administrative expedient rather than a political one.