16 officers from JKAS now part of IAS; eight more to join soon: Jitendra Singh
New Delhi: Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Jitendra Singh on Friday said 16 officers from the Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Service (JKAS) have been inducted into IAS and another eight vacancies will be filled up shortly after a long gap of 12 years.
The minister said the Centre has also relaxed deputation rules to encourage IAS and other All India Service Officers as well as officers of central services to get posted in Jammu and Kashmir, according to a government statement.
In an interaction with the media on the steps taken to address the officers’ shortage in the newly created Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said due to the relaxation in deputation rules, 22 officers belonging to various services and different cadres have been posted in the UT at various levels at a crucial time, the statement said.
He said the DoPT played a major role in facilitating induction of JKAS officers into the IAS by coordinating with UT of Jammu and Kashmir, Ministry of Home Affairs and the UPSC.
“As a result, recently 16 officers from JKAS have been inducted into IAS and another eight such vacancies will be filled up shortly giving opportunities to the JKAS officers to become part of prestigious IAS service after a long gap of 12 years,” Singh said.
The minister said mid-career training of JKAS officers of various seniority was carried out in collaboration with LBSNAA and it provided a new level of exposure to the JKAS officers and more than 200 offices.
Singh said central government employees working in the Kashmir Valley in attached and subordinate offices or PSUs falling under control of the Centre have been extended special concessions for a period of three years from August 1, 2021.
The incentives include an additional house rent allowance, composite transfer grant, per diem allowance, incentive for period of temporary duty, messing allowance, facility to draw pension at the place of settlement in relaxation of relevant provisions, he said.
The minister said retention of general pool accommodation available to officers who have served in the central government has also been extended to officers posted in Jammu and Kashmir on the pattern of the northeast states.
Singh said in view of home LTC, it can be availed to visit Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh for which guidelines have been notified by the DOPT.
It will enhance tourism in Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh and also provide an opportunity to all central government employees to visit the two UTs, he said.
The minister said the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) has helped the UT administration to switch over to online functioning, as a result of which the UT exchequer would save over Rs 200 crore incurred in transport of records etc during ‘Durbar move’ — shifting of capitals from Srinagar to Jammu during winters and vice versa.
“The government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi gives high priority to Jammu and Kashmir and there is no dearth of support forthcoming, as far as the Centre is concerned,” he said.
