Bhopal: The Madhya Pradesh government has declined to grant central deputation clearance to four IAS officers of the 2012 batch, citing a shortage of administrative officers in the state.
The officers are Harshika Singh, Rohit Singh, Abhijeet Agrawal and Anurag Chaudhary. The state government has asked them to continue serving in Madhya Pradesh for now, according to the source report.
68 IAS Posts Vacant in Madhya Pradesh
Madhya Pradesh has a sanctioned strength of 459 IAS officers, of which 68 posts are currently vacant. Citing the gap between sanctioned and available strength, the state government is not inclined to release additional officers for central deputation at present.
The government is reportedly considering the return of Madhya Pradesh-cadre IAS officers who are already serving on central deputation and are expected to complete their tenure next year. Requests from other officers seeking central assignments may be considered after their return.
Four Officers Currently Holding Key State Positions
All four officers whose requests have been declined are currently serving in important administrative and institutional roles in Madhya Pradesh.
Their present postings are:
- Harshika Singh (IAS: 2012: MP): Director, Budget
- Rohit Singh (IAS: 2012: MP): Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Textbook Corporation
- Abhijeet Agrawal (IAS: 2010: MP): Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh State Cooperative Marketing Federation (MARKFED)
- Anurag Chaudhary (IAS: 2010: MP): Managing Director, Madhya Pradesh Fisheries Federation
Delay in Promotions Also Cited as a Factor
Administrative officials have also pointed to delays in the promotion of State Administrative Service officers to the IAS as one of the factors contributing to vacancies in the state’s IAS cadre.
The officers from non-administrative services have not been getting opportunities for induction into the IAS, with this process reportedly discontinued in Madhya Pradesh since 2016.
The state government’s immediate priority, as reflected in its decision, is to maintain administrative functioning with the officers currently available.
Retired IAS Officer Questions Government’s Decision
Retired IAS officer D.S. Rai criticised the government’s decision, arguing that the shortage of officers was being used to restrict career opportunities for younger IAS officers.
He said central deputation was important for the professional growth of young officers and described the decision to deny permission on the grounds of staff shortage as unjustified.
Rai also argued that the creation of smaller districts, including Pandhurna, Maihar and Niwari, had placed additional pressure on the administrative system. He referred to these districts as having only two tehsils each.
The government, however, has cited the vacancies in the state cadre as the reason for not approving the four officers’ requests at this stage.
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