PANJIM: Goa government’s 2014 request for a separate cadre of the
All India Services (AIS) continue to remain pending for “consideration” before
the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) even after three years. The MHA is
likely to call for a meeting of the Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and UTs
(AGMUT) cadre post monsoon session of the Parliament for discussion.
The State had made two representations in 2011, which was
dismissed and again in 2014 during Manohar Parrikar led BJP government regime,
which is pending. Goa already has 38-39 officers of the all-India cadre that
makes a fit case for the State to have own separate cadre.
“The decision was necessary because Centre has been acting
like ‘feudal lords’ by not taking the state into confidence while posting the
IAS and IPS officers,” Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar had told media persons
post State cabinet resolving to opt out of AGMUT cadre on February 2014.
Cabinet had resolved formation of a separate AIS cadre for
Goa state including determining the strength and composition of the cadre in
consultation with the state government.
Goa has been sourcing officers from AGMUT cadre even after
it was bestowed statehood in 1987.
Highly placed sources confirmed that the proposal is still
pending before the MHA for consideration as the Ministry has received similar
proposals from other States like Arunachal Pradesh. “MHA is open for our
proposal but it would like to discuss and decide only after having joint cadre
meeting,” sources said.
Sources said that MHA is likely to call for a meeting on the
issue post monsoon session of the Parliament, which will commence from next
month.
During the last BJP led tenure, several Ministers including
Deputy Chief Minister Francis D’Souza had openly expressed his unhappiness over
posting of IAS officers, stating that “they come here for holidays”. His
indifference with former North Goa Collector IAS Neela Mohanan was quite open
before media.
The state had articulated five reasons for backing its
demand for opting out of AGMUT cadre and setting up a cadre of its own.
According to the proposal, Government said that Goa had become a full-fledged
state after its inclusion in AGMUT and that the state government was “hardly
consulted” on transfer and posting of its officers.
Further, the State pointed out before MHA that the AIS
officers in Goa know that they are here on short tenure and also know that Goa
government has no control over their transfer, posting or on disciplinary
matters.
