Chandigarh: Haryana is currently functioning with 44 fewer IAS officers than its sanctioned strength, forcing the government to redistribute responsibilities among the available officers and pushing the state’s administrative structure into uncharted territory.
Against a sanctioned cadre strength of 226 IAS officers, the state currently has 182 officers, leaving a shortfall of nearly 20 per cent.
The shortage has compelled the government to assign multiple important portfolios to several IAS officers. However, even this arrangement is proving insufficient. In a significant departure from convention, officers of the 2007 batch, who have only recently been promoted to the Commissioner rank, are now being entrusted with the responsibilities of Administrative Secretaries—posts that have traditionally been held by Additional Chief Secretaries (ACS) and Principal Secretaries.
The pressure is also reflected in the increasing number of officers holding multiple assignments simultaneously. In several cases, an officer is required to supervise more than one department, with offices located across Chandigarh, Gurugram, Faridabad, New Delhi and other places. Such arrangements demand extensive coordination and frequent movement, adding to the administrative burden.
Sources indicate that the government is now considering assigning Administrative Secretary responsibilities to 2008-batch IAS officers as well if the shortage persists.
Retirements to Further Deepen the Shortage
The situation is expected to become even more challenging over the coming months as eight senior IAS officers holding key positions are scheduled to retire by December 31, 2026.
The list is headed by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi (IAS:1990:HY), whose extended tenure will conclude on December 31, 2026.
Also retiring on November 30 are Sudhir Rajpal (IAS:1990:HY), Additional Chief Secretary handling Home, Jails, Criminal Investigation, Environment, Forests & Wildlife; Abhilaksh Likhi (IAS:1991:HY), currently on Central deputation as Secretary, Department of Fisheries, Government of India; and Geeta Bharti (IAS-SCS:2005), Commissioner, Hisar Division.
Arun Kumar Gupta (IAS:1992:HY), Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister and one of the key officers in the Chief Minister’s Office, and Anita Yadav (IAS-SCS:2004), Managing Director, Haryana Backward Classes & Economically Weaker Sections Kalyan Nigam, are due to retire on September 30.
Sanjay Joon (IAS-SCS:2003), Commissioner, Faridabad Division, and Chairman, Mewat Development Agency, Nuh, will retire on October 31, while D. Suresh (IAS:1995:HY), Principal Secretary, Fisheries Department, is scheduled to retire on August 31.
Unless the state receives a matching inflow of IAS officers through cadre allocation, inter-cadre transfers or other means, the gap between Haryana’s sanctioned strength and its working strength is likely to widen further before it begins to narrow.
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