The government today promoted the officers of Indian Trade Service (ITS), belonging to 1989 to 1991 batches, to the senior administrative grade (SAG) level, paving the way for their promotion to higher ranks.
With this decision, ITS officers of these batches can now be empanelled to become joint secretaries in other ministries besides opting for deputation to any other state.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The officers got "in-situ" promotion on personal basis, as a one-time relaxation, with the condition that, "as and when vacancies at SAG arise on the cadre post, these officers would be adjusted against the vacant cadre posts".
According to an official, this was a long pending demand and the decision would benefit about 20 ITS officers.
For empanellment in the SAG, promotion in the same cadre is important.
After the adjustment of these officers, the posts held by them at present would be retained at the original level of Junior Administrative Grade, after their retirement or being covered against the original sanctioned strength of SAG, an official statement said.
"This approval would enable the government to retain and gainfully utilise these senior ITS officers, with significant domain knowledge, in various positions in the areas of trade promotion and trade defense to help in achieving the objective of accelerated growth of India's export sector," it said.
The promotion will also enable the officers to be considered for empanellment under the Central Staffing Scheme and add to the pool of officers available for serving the government of India under the said scheme in different ministries and departments.
Indian Trade Service was created as a Central Group 'A' service to cater to the growing need of an organised cadre to handle various aspects of India's international trade and trade promotion.
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