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The Times of India
The Times of India
National
TNN

Keep 60:40 ratio for UT posts: CM Bhagwant Mann to Punjab govt

CHANDIGARH: Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann has urged governor Banwarilal Purohit to follow the convention and maintain the 60:40 ratio between Punjab and Haryana while filling up posts in the Chandigarh administration.

In a letter to the governor, he asserted that following the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966, officers were generally taken on inter-cadre deputation with the Cerntre's approval against some posts, such as home secretary, finance secretary, deputy commissioner and municipal commissioner.

Mann urged the governor to look into the matter so that the IAS officers from Punjab cadre on deputation with the Chandigarh administration are assigned departments as per the "well laid out convention".

Maintain 60:40 ratio of Pb, Haryana officers on UT posts: Mann to govt

Two days after his tweet seeking land for Punjab legislative assembly kicked off a political storm, Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday sought intervention of Punjab governor Banwarilal Purohit for maintaining the ratio of 60:40 between Punjab and Haryana for filling of posts in the Chandigarh administration.

In a letter to the governor, Mann asserted that following the reorganisation of Punjab in 1966, officers were generally taken on inter-cadre deputation with the approval of the Centre against some posts, such as home secretary, finance secretary, deputy commissioner and municipal commissioner.

In the past, the posts of finance secretary and municipal commissioner were filled up by IAS officers from Punjab cadre, while those of home secretary and deputy commissioner were filled with IAS officers from Haryana cadre, he said, adding that these officers were chosen after a rigorous selection process and they are given charges of various key departments.

However, the chief minister bemoaned, over the past few years, it has been noticed that the strength of IAS officers from the AGMUT cadre has been consistently increasing in the Chandigarh administration and most of the important posts which were earlier with Punjab cadre IAS officers were being given to the IAS officers from AGMUT cadre.

The key departments of health, education, industries, agriculture, labour and employment, information technology, food & supplies, cooperation, sports and the Chandigarh Housing Board, which were earlier with the finance secretary have gone to junior AGMUT cadre IAS officers. The post of Citco managing director, which was reserved for a Punjab cadre IAS officer, had also been given to UT cadre IAS officer, Mann said.

The CM claimed that the officers without requisite experience and knowledge of the UT Chandigarh and intricate linkages with issues of Punjab and Haryana, often dither in taking swift decisions and implementing the ones taken. It had a negative bearing on the quality of governance and administration, Mann said, adding that these developments were in clear violation of the spirit of Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, and undermined the status and morale of Punjab officers.

The Punjab government has been recommending officers of outstanding capabilities for deputation posts, Mann said and urged the governor to personally look into the matter so that the IAS officers from Punjab cadre on deputation with the Chandigarh administration are assigned departments as per the well laid out convention and without any discrimination.

On July 9, a tweet by Mann seeking land for a Punjab Vidhan Sabha was criticised by the opposition parties on the argument that any such move would weaken the state's claim on Chandigarh.

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