Centre withdraws incentives, allowances of AIS officers.

The Central Government has decided to withdraw multiple incentives and allowances given to the All India Service (AIS) Officers for posting in the North-east region, said the Ministry of Personnel order.

The order was implemented with immediate effect from September 23 and was announced by the Department of Personnel and Training (DOPT) on Friday that special incentives and allowances being granted to AIS officers posted in the North East States be withdrawn with immediate effect.

The officers include the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and Indian Forest Service (IFS) belonging to the Assam-Meghalaya joint cadre, Sikkim, Nagaland, Tripura, and Manipur cadres who were granted special incentives and allowances of an additional 25% basic pay while being posted in the Northeast. The additional monetary allowance introduced in 2009 has been discontinued.

“The Government, after review of the various incentives/Special Allowances being granted to the AIS officers working in the North Eastern Region, has decided that the incentives/Special Allowances granted be withdrawn with immediate effect,” said the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions notification.

The order further stated that post-retirement housing facilities for officers belonging to NE cadres introduced in 2007 shall also be withdrawn.

The order also said that the “incentive of reimbursement of payable Income Tax to Tribal All India Service officers belonging to the North-East Cadres while on central deputation” has been withdrawn.

Moreover, the order on flexible inter-cadre deputation for officers of NE cadres that were consolidated in 2017 has also been dropped. 

Meanwhile, according to the reports by Shillong Times, many AIS officers posted in the NE states have said that the order is “insensitive and abrupt with no regard or consideration of suffering and challenges which AIS officers posted in North Eastern States face.”

In another article by The Hindu, a senior AIS officer posted in one of the North East States said on condition of anonymity that the order was unfair. “Extortion is quite common in these States due to insurgency-related issues. The additional benefits gave a sense of security and acted as an incentive to work here. While officers from other States who belong to NE cadres are made to pay full Income Tax, their tribal counterparts are exempted,” said the officer.

The report however does not clearly say whether the officers belonging to Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territory (AGMUT) or UT cadre who are posted in NE will be affected by the present DOPT order.

The reason for the withdrawal of these benefits is the improving law and order situation in the region, reported the Economic Times.