In Punjab too, over a dozen IAS officers to retire in 2026

Punjab will see the retirement of 14 IAS officers this year, further straining an already short-staffed bureaucracy.

As many as 14 IAS officers of Punjab cadre will retire this year with the state government already grappling with shortage of officers.  Starting with 1996-batch IAS AK Sinha and 2005-batch IAS Dilraj Singh Sandhawalia, both will retire this month. Sinha has been without a posting. He was removed as Secretary, Power as well as Chairman and Managing Director of PSPCL and PSTCL, on November 1. If he is not given any posting, he may retire without any department on January 31. Sandhawalia is Secretary, Health.

Arvind Pal Singh Sandhu, a 2009 batch IAS officer, currently holding the post of state commissioner for persons with disabilities, will be retiring on February 28. Alongwith him will be Arun Sekhri , a 2004-batch IAS, who will also retire on February 28. Sekhri is currently Commissioner Ferozepur and Jalandhar divisions.  In March, Punjab government will see Anurag Agarwal, a 1990-batch IAS retiring on March 31. He was in the race to become the Chief Secretary of the state when AAP government took over. But proceeded on Central deputation when he was denied top post. JM Balamuruhan, a 1994 batch, Additional Chief Secretary Defense Services, retiring on the same day. Along with them, 2012-batch IAS, Bhupinder Singh, currently posted as special secretary power, will also be superannuating.

Vimal Setia, a 2010 batch IAS officer, who was removed as Director Public Relations on Thursday, will be completing his service in April.  Gurpreet Sapra, a 2005-batch IAS will be superannuating in June. She is currently Secretary Personnel. Mohinder Pal, a 2008 batch IAS would also complete his service in June.

Sarvjit  Singh, a 1992-batch IAS officer, and Special Chief Secretary, Sports and Youth Affairs, will be retiring in July,1997-batch VK Meena will retire in August. A 2004-batch IAS , Manvesh Singh Sidhu, Secretary Labour will retire in October. 1991-batch IAS Seema Jain, who is on central deputation will be retiring in December.  As per the latest gradation list of IAS officers, Punjab has 191 officers against cadre strength of over 200. Several IAS officers are making a beeline for deputation to Centre with four of them already getting NOC from Punjab government for central deputation.

The four include 1994-batch IAS Tejveer Singh, Dileep Kumar (1995 batch), Sibin C (2005) and Varun Roojam (2004). They are awaiting posting from the centre. Shruti Singh (2004-batch) has already joined the Centre as joint secretary in Information and broadcasting department of Government of India.

Punjab government had denied NOCs to several officers. They include Nilkanth S Avhad, a 1999 batch IAS officer, Alakhnanda Dayal (2000-batch), Vijay N Zade (2002) have been denied the NOC. Sonali Giri too has been asked to stay on.

At least four IAS officers have been waiting for the government’s order for new postings after being transferred from their previous assignments, some even eight months ago.

Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, a 2001-batch IAS officer is without work for over eight months. He was removed from his position as the home secretary on March 24. He has not been assigned any new role. He was instructed to report to the personnel department secretary. Puneet Goyal, a 2010-batch IAS officer, was removed from his position as director of food on February 25. He has not received a new posting since then. Kanwalpreet Brar, another IAS officer was removed from Punjab Warehousing Corporation in February and continues to be without posting.