Proposal to change rules for central deputation of IAS officers affects states' administration: Mamata to PM

Kolkata, Jan 18: Expressing "strong reservations" to Centre's proposal to amend the IAS (Cadre) Rules, 1954, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to roll back the decision claiming that the change in rules for central deputation of IAS officers will affect states' administration.

In a two-page letter, Banerjee alleged that the proposed amendment is against the "spirit of cooperative federalism". "I express my strong reservations to the approach followed by the Central government in proposing such amendment to the Cadre Rules which unilaterally mandates the state government to make such a number of officers available for deputation as prescribed under (the) Central Deputation Reserve," Banerjee wrote to Modi on Tuesday evening.

The Centre, in its proposal to amend the IAS Cadre (Rules), has recently asked the state governments to send lists of IAS officers for central deputation. "Not only is the proposed amendment against the spirit of cooperative federalism but the same also upsets time-tested harmonious agreement which existed between Centre and states in the matter of posting of IAS-IPS officers," she wrote.

The West Bengal chief minister said that insisting officers be made available for deputation through the proposed amendment will not only affect the administration of states but also it would become impossible to assess and plan the administration of states.

"I would beseech you to consider that the reciprocal spirit of interactive and consultative give and take, designed in the existing framework, should not be replaced by unilateralism. I request you to keep the federal spirit of the Cadre Rules unviolated by withdrawing/not giving effect to the proposed amendment," she added. PTI