Will Capt Amarinder Singh take remedial steps or continue with one-point agenda, which, without doubt, is praise-worthy and has been widely appreciated?

SEWAK SINGH, Phagwara

The tired and retired: The article by Amar Chandel is an eye-opener. The all-India services are a well-knit group and look after their interests. Their number is multiplying. Pruning is a must. Disposal of work is also retarded. Fresh recruitment should be stopped for at least five years. Bureaucrats may hinder the streamlining of the administration.

A mad rat-race is on to recall retired persons to fill posts in the government and PSUs. A retired high court or Supreme Court judge is always considered for heading a tribunal or a committee for an enquiry and retired bureaucrats are considered better qualified as advisers. A retired person imposes a heavy burden on the exchequer. The persons who have attained the age of superannuation and have been granted extension in service and the persons who have been recalled after retirement should be sent home — lock, stock and barrel.

The posts pointed out by Amar Chandel as surplus should definitely be abolished. The persons who can be legally retired should be sent home as that is the proper place for them. The persons who are still surplus should be sent to the central pool and those who do not comply with the order should be asked to seek retirement. If some vacancy does occur, the young blood should be introduced, but only on merit.

TEJ BAHADUR PURI, Kapurthala

The good and the bad: The article presents a true picture of the extravagance, drift and lack of direction in the Punjab bureaucracy. The suggestions are also realistic. I differ with one observation of the writer. He has written: “It is better to have direct IAS officers posted in the district, since they are enthusiastic with some ideals and not yet politicised.” All direct IAS officers are not like that. Some of them start corruption as under-training officers and are highly politicised when they join as SDMs.

I also take this opportunity to highlight one more aspect of the issue. Newspapers recently carried reports giving the impression that IAS officers not belonging to Punjab are more impartial, fearless, honest and apolitical and they can carry out the work of governance in a better way. It is also not totally true. Some “outsiders” have proved to be the most partial, corrupt and politicised.

So outstanding officers do exist amongst the promoted and insider IAS officers. Goodness cannot be attached to one or another category. It can be found in ample measure in individuals and not in set categories.