Ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, the state government has announced the establishment of 140 new reserved posts in the state administration for West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) cadre bureaucrats. These posts include 40 positions as additional secretaries and 100 as joint secretaries, as per a notification from the state Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department. WBCS officers had previously requested Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for these additional posts, which have now been approved.
The decision to create these reserved posts is seen as a move to enhance promotion opportunities for state civil service cadre officials and bolster their representation in top administrative roles. This initiative is perceived as a supportive gesture towards the WBCS cadres by the Mamata Banerjee-led government ahead of the state elections later this year.
While the state government’s decision has been welcomed by many, the West Bengal unit of the BJP has raised concerns. The BJP alleges that the move is an attempt to influence the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in the state to favor the ruling Trinamool Congress. Additionally, the BJP claims that the decision is a way to address grievances among state civil service cadre officers regarding dearness allowances and unpaid arrears compared to Central government officials.
