CM Bhagwant Mann urges Centre to appoint Punjab cadre IAS as FCI GM, warning UT-cadre selection could disrupt food procurement and farmer confidence.
Although Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann warned against it in early November, the Center intends to appoint a UT cadre IAS officer to the position of general manager of the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Punjab region, breaking with the tradition of selecting a Punjab cadre IAS officer for the position.
The current FCI GM for the Punjab area, B Srinivasan, an IAS officer from the 2011 batch of Punjab, is scheduled to retire on December 31. The Centre intends to choose a UT-cadre IAS officer stationed in Delhi as Srinivasan’s successor before to his retirement, according to sources.
In a semi-official (DO) letter dated November 6, Mann warned Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi that “this will create disharmony and doubts in the minds of farmers, arhtiyas, laborers and other stakeholders.”
The CM’s letter is significant because Punjab purchases foodgrains worth Rs 1 lakh crore a year, and a Punjab cadre officer is well aware of the enormous procedure that occurs twice a year. An officer in the state government who spoke on condition of anonymity stated, “The appointment of an inexperienced officer definitely means problems.”
“It is a well-established convention that since the inception of the FCI, a Punjab cadre IAS officer has been appointed the General Manager of the FCI Punjab region, headquartered in Chandigarh,” the chief minister continued, reminding the Union minister of the 2020 farmer agitation against the three controversial farm laws. This convention’s justification stems from a crucial comprehension of the practical realities associated with procurement, storage, and transportation activities. Officers who have worked for Punjab at different administrative levels have the invaluable first-hand knowledge of these systems that is necessary for handling this extremely delicate and operationally important position.
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Mann wrote in his letter that Punjab has long been India’s grain bowl and has been essential to the country’s food security. Since Punjab is primarily an agrarian state, the production of food grains and agriculture play a significant role in the state’s economy. Punjab supplies a significant portion of the foodgrains purchased for the central pool, hence the efficient operation of the state’s procurement processes is crucial for the country as a whole.
The chief minister stated that he was aware that a previous three-officer panel that was suggested for the position was not approved by the center. Since then, a new panel has been presented, but to our astonishment, I’ve been informed—albeit unofficially—that an IAS officer from a different cadre is being considered for this role. I sincerely propose that if such a thing occurs, it will cause uncertainty and discord among farmers, millers, arhtiyas, laborers, and other stakeholders. Hence, it would be in the best interests of the state and the country for this crucial position to remain occupied by an officer with previous experience in Punjab, given the state’s special significance in the food procurement system and the requirement for operational efficiency. In addition to guaranteeing more seamless coordination between the FCI and the state government, this would support the continuation of procurement activities that are essential to India’s food security, Mann said.
In order to have any such choice to pick an officer from another state reviewed and to choose an officer from the Punjab cadre from the panel that was supplied to him, Mann personally appealed to the Union minister. According to the chief minister, the decision should be made well in advance so that the new officer can take over before the current officer’s term is over.