Feeling neglected, UP forest officers pin hope on Mulayam
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LUCKNOW: Akhilesh Yadav may hold the reins of Uttar Pradesh, but 217 forest officers of the state have turned to his father and Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav
for better perks and promotions. In 2006, Mulayam, who was then UP
chief minister, had made the Indian Forest Service (IFS) equivalent to
other All-India Services in the state. Seven years later, the neglected
forest officers are hoping Mulayam will again come to their rescue.
Though the sixth pay commission gave the IFS parity with the Indian Police Service (IPS), it has not brought the benefits to UP forest officers.
Given the parity, APCCF (additional principal chief conservator of forest) rank of forest service is now equivalent to ADG (additional director general) of police, forest officers continue to lag behind in promotions. While 1988 batch IPS officers are now posted as ADGs, only a section of 1983 batch IFS officers have got promotions to APCCF rank.
While IGs are 1995 batch IPS officers, their IFS-equivalent -- chief conservators -- are 1987 batch officers. The conservators of forest, rank equivalent to DIG of police, are, too, caught in a similar bind. Promotions to IFS officers are delayed by average six years across all ranks, the starting post being the divisional forest officer (DFO).
Many forest officers got promoted to APCCF only a month before retirement. The forest officers' association had apprised chief secretary Jawed Usmani of the disparity in March this year. He had constituted a four-member committee under principal secretary forest VN Garg to look into the matter and submit report within two months. Garg said the interim report has come but refused to divulge its details.
Forest officers, however, rue delay in action. "We not only rank below the other two All-India Services (IAS and IPS) in UP, but also trail behind our counterparts in other states," said a forest official.
In Uttarakhand, 1990 batch officers are now chief conservators while in UP the post is held by 1987 batch officers.
Other states promote their forest officers on the due date, and create extra posts in the cadre review to adjust the promoted strength. It's the same pattern followed for the other two All-India Services in UP.
Though service rules say that an IFS officer should be promoted to a conservator rank after 14 years of service; chief conservator rank after 18 years and APCCF rank after 22 years of service, it's not happening in UP. In UP, forest officers are getting promotions against retirements. "At the current rate, only 1983 batch would be brought into the APCCF fold till 2017," said an official.
The reason for prolonged delay in promotions is that after 1983 UP started inducting more IFS officers than ever. While 1979 was a single-officer batch, 1983 was a batch of 13 officers.
Due to this, against a handful of officers retiring, there is a bigger number vying for promotions. To ensure timely promotions, either extra posts should be created or existing ones be upgraded.
The IFS association is now looking up to Mulayam who lifted them out of the similar quagmire in 2006. Cadre review of IFS was last held in 2009 and the next is due in 2014.
Though the sixth pay commission gave the IFS parity with the Indian Police Service (IPS), it has not brought the benefits to UP forest officers.
Given the parity, APCCF (additional principal chief conservator of forest) rank of forest service is now equivalent to ADG (additional director general) of police, forest officers continue to lag behind in promotions. While 1988 batch IPS officers are now posted as ADGs, only a section of 1983 batch IFS officers have got promotions to APCCF rank.
While IGs are 1995 batch IPS officers, their IFS-equivalent -- chief conservators -- are 1987 batch officers. The conservators of forest, rank equivalent to DIG of police, are, too, caught in a similar bind. Promotions to IFS officers are delayed by average six years across all ranks, the starting post being the divisional forest officer (DFO).
Many forest officers got promoted to APCCF only a month before retirement. The forest officers' association had apprised chief secretary Jawed Usmani of the disparity in March this year. He had constituted a four-member committee under principal secretary forest VN Garg to look into the matter and submit report within two months. Garg said the interim report has come but refused to divulge its details.
Forest officers, however, rue delay in action. "We not only rank below the other two All-India Services (IAS and IPS) in UP, but also trail behind our counterparts in other states," said a forest official.
In Uttarakhand, 1990 batch officers are now chief conservators while in UP the post is held by 1987 batch officers.
Other states promote their forest officers on the due date, and create extra posts in the cadre review to adjust the promoted strength. It's the same pattern followed for the other two All-India Services in UP.
Though service rules say that an IFS officer should be promoted to a conservator rank after 14 years of service; chief conservator rank after 18 years and APCCF rank after 22 years of service, it's not happening in UP. In UP, forest officers are getting promotions against retirements. "At the current rate, only 1983 batch would be brought into the APCCF fold till 2017," said an official.
The reason for prolonged delay in promotions is that after 1983 UP started inducting more IFS officers than ever. While 1979 was a single-officer batch, 1983 was a batch of 13 officers.
Due to this, against a handful of officers retiring, there is a bigger number vying for promotions. To ensure timely promotions, either extra posts should be created or existing ones be upgraded.
The IFS association is now looking up to Mulayam who lifted them out of the similar quagmire in 2006. Cadre review of IFS was last held in 2009 and the next is due in 2014.
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