Fifth IAS officer from UP seeks VRS

Yet another IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre has sought voluntary retirement from the service.

A 2005-batch IAS officer, Sreenivasulu was on inter-cadre deputation to his home state Andhra Pradesh from January 2016 to July 2022.

He is the fifth officer to put in his papers in the past one month.

He returned to the parent cadre Uttar Pradesh in July and was posted as special secretary (Finance) on July 29. On September 6, he was transferred to the revenue department in the same capacity.

Earlier, Vidya Bhusan, a 2008-batch IAS officer, posted as managing director of Purvanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam, opted for voluntary retirement on September 5.

His wife, Alankrita Singh, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, was suspended by the state government on the charge of negligence in duty and indiscipline in April.

In August, three IAS officers Renuka Kumar (1987 batch), Juthika Patankar (1988 batch) and Vikas Gothalwal (2003 batch) had opted for voluntary retirement.

Gothalwal, Sreenivasulu and Bhusan have sought voluntary retirement on health grounds.

Uttar Pradesh IAS Association president RK Tiwari said, "IAS officers opting for voluntary retirement are not limited to Uttar Pradesh. In other states, too, several IAS officers have taken voluntary retirement.

"It is the personal decision of the officer to move out of the service for better options in the private sector. Voluntary retirement is not an uncommon phenomenon as earlier in Uttar Pradesh. Some IAS officers have opted for voluntary retirement and are serving on various posts in the private sector," he said.

A senior IAS officer said the "changing working situation" in the service, political pressure and better options in the private sector are stimulating the officers to take voluntary retirement.

Meanwhile, an appointment department officer said the voluntary retirement applications of Juthika Patankar and Vikas Gothalwal have been approved while the application of the remaining three officers is likely to be cleared soon.