Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha has directed all secretaries to take strict action against IAS and IPS officers overstaying on foreign assignments, including removal from service.
In the stern directive issued to secretaries of all central government ministries and chief secretaries of states, he said a number of instances has come to notice where officers stay on foreign assignments beyond their approved tenures.
"This trend needs to be discouraged by ensuring strict action against errant officers as per extant policy," Sinha said.
An officer of three all India services--Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS) and Indian Forest Service (IFoS)--among others, can stay a maximum of five years on foreign deputation. A plan to increase the deputation period to seven years is under consideration of the Centre.
It may also be noted that state governments shall initiate proceedings for deemed resignation if the member of service does not return from foreign assignment within one month after completion of the approved tenure, the Cabinet Secretary said, citing existing provisions in this regard.
The state governments should also forward a proposal to the cadre controlling authority concerned i.E. Department of Personnel and Training for IAS officers; Home Ministry for IPS and Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for IFoS for taking further action on the issue, he said.
"Cadre controlling authorities are once again impressed upon to ensure that extant provisions in this matter are strictly followed and that the officers are made aware of the implications of overstay before they are relieved for taking up their foreign assignments.
"Cadre controlling authorities are further advised to make sure that officers do not continue on foreign assignment beyond the approved tenure and that they report back to their cadre immediately after completion of approved tenure," the top bureaucrat said.
