Himachal IAS, IPS associations express concern over PWD minister singling out officers

Shimla, Jan 14 (PTI) A day after Himachal Pradesh Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh said that some IAS and IPS officers from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh are not working in the interest of the state, the associations of the two services on Wednesday expressed their concern and said such remarks can inadvertently erode public confidence in institutions.

Talking to reporters on Tuesday, Singh said, "The interest of Himachal Pradesh is above all" and without naming any officer, he accused some IAS and IPS officers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar of undermining the spirit of the hill state. Misuse of funds coming from the central government for roads and other projects will not be tolerated at any cost, he added.

"I understand the Centre-state relationship and also that the IAS and IPS officers can work in any state cadre and they are welcome in Himachal but one thing has to be understood that the interest of the state is above all and protecting the right of the state is our responsibility," he added.

Expressing deep concern over the minister's remark, the Himachal Pradesh IAS Association, in a statement issued here, said that singling out officers based on their state of origin is inappropriate and risks causing avoidable harm to the morale and neutrality of the civil services.

"Such generalisations can inadvertently erode public confidence in institutions and adversely affect the functioning of the administration," it said and urged the state government to issue guidelines at the highest level to ensure that public discourse remains focused on policies and outcomes rather than on the personal or regional backgrounds of officers," the statement said.

Another statement issued by the state IPS Association said that the minister's remarks tend to create an artificial and undesirable divide between Himachali and non-Himachali officers serving in the state.

The association urged the state government to take serious note of the issue and not to post any IPS with Vikranaditya Singh, ensure that such statements are not repeated in future and uphold the dignity, unity and neutrality of the civil services. PTI BPL KSS KSS