Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh government has initiated a move to reduce the sanctioned strength of its IAS, IPS and IFS cadres, citing the need to bring down administrative expenditure, optimise the government machinery and ensure better utilisation of officers.
The state government has approached the Department of Personnel under the Central Government seeking approval for the proposed reduction in cadre strength.
According to the proposal, the IAS cadre is proposed to be reduced from 153 to 130 officers, while the IFS cadre would come down from 118 to 83 officers. The government is also examining a reduction in the existing IPS cadre strength of 96 officers, although a specific revised figure for the IPS cadre has not been provided in the information available.
The move is part of a broader effort by the state government to reduce its administrative burden and redirect savings towards public-oriented programmes and development activities.
CM Sukhu Wants a Smaller IAS Cadre
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the state does not require an unnecessarily large administrative setup and that the size of the cadre should correspond to the actual requirements of the government.
Speaking informally to journalists at Oak Over in Shimla on Monday, Sukhu said the government should have only as many officers as are required to effectively implement government schemes and provide services to citizens.
The Chief Minister said that, personally, he would prefer to bring the IAS cadre down to around 100–110 officers. However, after considering concerns raised by some IAS officers, the government has currently proposed a more moderate reduction to 130 officers.
According to Sukhu, an excessively large cadre can also result in officers being underutilised when there is insufficient meaningful work available for them.
The proposed reduction, therefore, is not being presented merely as a cost-cutting measure. The government also wants to ensure that available officers are assigned meaningful responsibilities and that their administrative expertise is utilised effectively.
Government Eyes Savings Through Smaller Administrative Setup
The state government expects the reduction in cadre strength to result in substantial savings in administrative expenditure.
Sukhu indicated that the savings generated through a smaller administrative structure could subsequently be utilised for public-oriented schemes and development activities.
The Chief Minister also suggested that the extent of savings would increase with a greater reduction in the number of officers.
The move comes against the backdrop of the state’s broader attempt to optimise expenditure and reduce its administrative costs.
Field Officers’ Vehicle Fleet to Be Cut
The cost-cutting exercise is not limited to cadre restructuring.
The state government is also planning to reduce the number of vehicles available to field officers.
According to the Chief Minister, the existing fleet of 56 vehicles for field officers is proposed to be reduced to 30 vehicles.
The government is also working towards shifting its entire government vehicle fleet to electric vehicles.
The move is expected to reduce long-term expenditure on fuel and vehicle operations while also supporting the state’s broader shift towards electric mobility.
Officers Seeking Central Deputation to Get Easier Relief
Sukhu also spoke about the state’s changed approach towards officers seeking deputation to the Central Government.
According to him, files of officers seeking central deputation were earlier sometimes held back. The government has now discontinued this practice.
Officers seeking central postings are being given approval and relieved without unnecessary delays, he said.
The Chief Minister noted that a significant number of Himachal-cadre officers are currently working with the Central Government, particularly in Delhi.
25 Himachal IAS Officers Currently on Central Deputation
According to information provided by the state government, 25 IAS officers of the Himachal Pradesh cadre are currently serving with the Central Government.
The officers listed include:
- Anuradha Thakur
- Bharat Harbans Lal Khera
- Manish Garg
- Dr. Rajnish
- Subhashish Panda
- Amandeep Garg
- Pushpendra Rajput
- Meera Mohanty
- Priyatu Mandal
- Kadam Sandeep Vasant
- Mansi Sahay Thakur
- Rohan Chand Thakur
- Lalit Jain
- Rigved Milind Thakur
- Dr. Richa Verma
- Pankaj Rai
- Harikesh Meena
- Devashweta Banik
- Kritika Kulhari
- Ashutosh Garg
- Arindam Chaudhary
- Nidhi Patel
In addition, Nipun Jindal, Vivek Bhatia and Rakesh Kumar Prajapati have recently proceeded on central deputation.
The state government’s decision to facilitate central deputation is significant in the context of its cadre review, as a sizeable number of officers are already serving outside the state.
24 IPS Officers Also on Central Deputation
The government has also reported that 24 IPS officers belonging to the Himachal Pradesh cadre are currently serving on central deputation.
The existing sanctioned strength of the IPS cadre is 96 officers, and the state is considering reducing this strength as part of its administrative rationalisation exercise.
However, the information available does not specify the proposed revised IPS cadre strength.
17 IFS Officers Serving on Central Deputation
The Forest Service cadre is also part of the proposed restructuring.
Himachal Pradesh currently has an IFS cadre strength of 118 officers, of whom 17 are serving on central deputation.
The government has proposed reducing the sanctioned IFS cadre strength from 118 to 83 officers.
The significant number of officers serving outside Himachal is among the factors being considered while reviewing the state’s cadre requirements.
Government’s Larger Administrative Reform Push
The proposed cadre reductions reflect the Himachal Pradesh government’s broader objective of maintaining a leaner administrative structure, reducing recurring expenditure and improving the utilisation of available officers.
The proposal would reduce the IAS strength by 23 posts, from 153 to 130, while the IFS cadre would see a proposed reduction of 35 posts, from 118 to 83.
The IPS cadre is also under review, with the existing strength of 96 officers proposed to be reduced, although the state has not specified the new figure in the information available.
Alongside cadre restructuring, the government is pursuing other cost-saving measures, including reducing the field-officer vehicle fleet and moving government vehicles towards electric mobility.
The state government’s approach also signals greater willingness to allow officers to take up central deputation, particularly at a time when a substantial number of Himachal-cadre IAS, IPS and IFS officers are already serving outside the state.
Key Figures
IAS
Existing strength: 153
Proposed strength: 130
IFS
Existing strength: 118
Proposed strength: 83
IPS
Existing strength: 96
Proposed change: Reduction proposed; new figure not specified
IAS officers on Central deputation
Existing strength: Not specified
Proposed/Reported: 25
IPS officers on Central deputation
Existing strength: Not specified
Proposed/Reported: 24
IFS officers on Central deputation
Existing strength: 118
Proposed/Reported: 17 on deputation
Field officer vehicles
Existing strength: 56
Proposed strength: 30
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