DGDE asks all commands to send report on staff requirement

The Assistant Director General of Defence Estates has asked for a detailed report on staff requirements of cantonment boards post proposed excision. The report should include information on the residual area population and properties, and the Ministry of Defence has instructed that staff should be commensurate with the population. The option of merging office functions and entrusting work to nearby cantonment boards should also be explored. The proposals should be checked by the principal director and modifications conveyed to the state government if necessary.

Assistant Director General of Defence Estates Daman Kumar in a communication dated August 7, to the principal director (Defence Estates) of Central (Lucknow), Eastern (Kolkata), Northern (Jammu ), Southern (Pune) and Western Command (Chandigarh) has asked for a detailed report on the staff requirement of the cantonment boards post proposed excision and submit within four days.

Assistant director general of Defence Estates Daman Kumar in a communication dated August 7 has asked Pune Southern command to send report on staff requirement (REPRESENTATIVE IMAGE)

“The report must include inter alia, indicate the residual area where civil population is residing (excluding military area) and number of properties /bungalows (including leases and old grant etc.) and approximate civilian population in the retained area and that in the proposed excised area. It is further requested that requisite data in the enclosed proformas may also be submitted to this director general,” the communication stated.

The communication pointed out that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) had issued instructions that the staff being retained by the cantonment boards for residual area post excision should be commensurate to the residual area population for the purpose of managing the affairs of the residual area.

Kumar further said the concerned officers were further directed that, in no circumstances should extra staff be retained by the cantonment board causing burden on the government exchequer. “MoD has also desired that the option of merging all office related functions like admin, accounting, general duties etc. and other responsibilities of residual area to reduce the manpower retained by the boards, may also be explored, and further, the option of entrusting work of residual area to staff of nearby cantonment boards may be explored,” he added.