BENGALURU: It’s work, work and work for top officials in the state. Reports suggesting that IAS officer Anurag Tiwari who died in Lucknow on Wednesday had been denied leave brought the focus on the workload top officials handle, with little room for leave.
An acute shortage of IAS officers has been forcing seniors to hold two positions at a time. Against the sanctioned strength of 314, the state has only 229 IAS cadre officers, resulting in a shortage of 85.
With additional postings, the IAS officers hardly get leave and a few of them say they often work on holidays too. However, the officers generally do not complain about additional responsibilities, but wish they got some days off their works.
“We have close to 30 days of leave including casual leave in a year. But we cannot take leave when we need. In my case, I have not been able to take leave for many years and it is accumulating. I almost have one year leave,” a senior IAS officer, who did not wish to be identified, said.
He also said, in times of emergency, IAS officers understand their responsibilities do not apply for leave. “But during non-emergency time too, officers do not get leave,” he said.
Another senior IAS officer told Express that they do not have any problem handling two posts at a time.
“Sometimes we work on Sundays, second Saturdays and (other) holidays too for which we don’t have problems. When they give us additional responsibilities, they should also give us some flexibility to take leave. After all we are also human beings, have families and do have responsibilities there too. It is stressful at times,” he said.
Chief Secretary Subhash Chandra Khuntia said, “We have given two postings to a few senior IAS officers. No one has complained about additional works.”