An IAS officer gets nod for overstay during his inter-cadre deputation from Sikkim to Jharkhand 12 years ago

TWELVE years ago, Sikkim cadre IAS Saroj Kumar Jha overstayed in his inter-cadre deputation to Jharkhand. His deputation ended on November 27, 2005, but he continued to serve in Jharkhand till August 2, 2006 i.e. the officer had overstayed for more than eight months. And his overstay remained unapproved for more than 12 years. On Monday, the DoPT issued a notification saying that the Centre…

approved Jha’s overstay in 2005-2006, in what could be termed a rare case. Jha, 44, originally belongs to Bihar, and is a 1997 batch Sikkim cadre IAS. During his overstay, he was the collector in Pakur district of Jharkhand bordering West Bengal. 

According to records, Jha worked as deputy secretary and then director in the department of commerce, and was also on a deputation to United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Afghanistan, between 2012 and 14. During the inter-cadre deputation to Jharkhand he had served in two districts as deputy commissioner/collector — Simdega and Pakur, apart from discharging other duties. 

Meanwhile, the government has approved the inter-cadre deputation of Ms Bhagyashree Bhimraoji Banayat, a 2012 batch Nagaland cadre IAS, from Nagaland cadre to Maharashtra cadre “on personal grounds” in relaxation of the existing policy for a period of five years.