the goan I network
PANAJI
Goa is set to get its own IAS cadre, with the Centre reviewing the process to grant an independent cadre for Arunachal Pradesh, Goa and Mizoram, which presently operates along with the Union Territories under a joint AGMUT cadre.
The central personnel department has begun the process of separating the three States from the AGMUT cadre.
Sources, however, said that the three States could either get a separate cadre or get a common cadre. Goa along with Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram have been making demands for separate cadres from the AGMUT cadre, which has a present combined strength of 219 IAS officers.
At present, Goa accounts for 23 of the 219 IAS officers and if granted a separate cadre, Goa would then have a maximum of 30 IAS officers.
Of the 23 IAS officers allotted to Goa, two are on the “super-time” (highest) scale, while 15 IAS officers have been appointed in various departments in the Secretariat. They include the chief electoral officer, two district collectors, two deputy collectors, excise commissioner, IPB chief executive officer, director of education, managing director of Infotech Corporation, director of sports and inspector general of prisons.
Besides, some IAS officers promoted from the Goa Civil Services are serving in New Delhi and other states. A few senior-scale IAS officers have also returned to Goa.
According to reports, Goa had sent the proposal for a separate cadre of the all India services -- Indian Administrative Services (IAS), Indian Police Services (IPS) and Indian Forest Services (IFS) cadre -- in 2011.
The government had sought views of the home ministry, which is the authority for the AGMUT cadre.
The government, thereafter, conveyed to the state that the existing joint AGMUT cadre system addresses the concerns of the Goa government with reference to cadre management.
A similar proposal was later submitted by Goa to the home ministry in 2014.
The matter again came up for in 2017 and a senior official had said that while the home ministry would be happy to bring Goa out of the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre, under which officials presently serve in the State, Goa did not have enough officers for a separate cadre at the time.
“Goa has very few officers and hence this cannot be done as of now. The MHA would be happy to do it. Mizoram, too, is asking for this. But these two states still have not gathered the critical mass needed for this purpose,” a senior official was quoted in a report in 2017.
The issue of a separate cadre has been discussed by the Joint Cadre Authority (JCA) and senior central government officials have admitted that if Goa, Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram get separate cadres, then AGMUT cadre officers who serve in Union Territories will not be transferred to these three States. At present, Goa accounts for 23 of 219 IAS officers
If granted separate cadre, Goa would then have maximum of 30 IAS officers
Of the 23 IAS officers allotted to Goa, two are on the “super-time” (highest) scale
15 officers appointed in various departments in the Secretariat
Some IAS officers promoted from the Goa Civil Services serving in New Delhi and other States
A few senior-scale IAS officers have also returned to Goa
