Y.S. RANA , CHANDIGARH—Jan 1—The vexed issue of denial of Himachal Pradesh’s share (7.19 per cent) in the Chandigarh assets and posts is alive again. The government of Himachal Pradesh swung into action. The Additional Secretary (Personnel) to the HP Government wrote a letter on December 19, 2012 to the Joint Secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs, New Delhi in reply to his communiqué.
Earlier, the Union Ministry had sought documents/information in the matter vide its letter No U-14016/2/2011-CPD dated August 7, 2012 from the government of Himachal Pradesh regarding allocation of 7.19 per cent share in Chandigarh posts for the Himachal Administrative Service Officers to facilitate the Ministry to process the matter.
The Additional Secretary’s letter stated that the HP Administrative Services Officers’ Association had raised the issue and demanded the state government to take up it with the Central government for rightful share of the HAS cadre in Chandigarh Administration.
The communiqué further stated that the provision of taking officer from Himachal was incorporated in the letter No 10342-FII(X)-78/177046 dated October 5, 1978. Now it was learnt that the said provision was discontinued by the Chandigarh Administration at its own without consulting the state government which was mandatory as per the Re-organization Act, 1966.
The communiqué urged that in view of the above facts, the matter regarding allocation of 7.19 per cent share in the Chandigarh posts for State Cadre services (SCS) officers of Himachal Pradesh might be considered on priority basis so that SCS officers of Himachal Pradesh could be considered for posting against these posts. Most of the important executive posts are being manned by the civil service officers from Haryana and Punjab whereas state’s share is legally admissible, the communiqué says.
It may be mentioned that Notably, Daily Post had published a news item in November 2012 regarding the denial of state’s share in Chandigarh assets and posts. The Chandigarh Administration (Personnel Department) had issued a letter No 15476, dated August 18, 1993 to all Administrative heads of department, offices of the UT Administration, taking officials on deputation, denying its rightful share to the state in UT Administration.
The letter had replaced the word ‘Himachal’ by ‘any other government.’ Talking to The India Post T.L Sharma, Secretary All India Himachal Social Bodies Federation (Regd), said that the said letter was mala fide and inspired by vested interests. “The Chandigarh Administration has no power under the Punjab Reorganization Act-1966 to take such a major decision on its own. Under the Act this power is vested only with the Ministry of Home Affairs,” Sharma said.