Provincial Development Service
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| Service Overview | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Popularly known as | Pradeshik Vikas Seva |
| Founded | 1952 |
| State | Uttar Pradesh |
| Staff College | Deendayal Upadhyaya State Institute of Rural Development,Bakshi ka Talab, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh[1] |
| Cadre Controlling Authority | Commissionerate of Rural Development, Department of Rural Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh |
| Minister Responsible | Dr. Mahendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Rural Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government service |
| Duties | State Rural Development Administration |
| Current Cadre Strength | 559 members (373 officers directly recruited by UP-PSC and 186 officers promoted from Assistant Development Officers' cadre)[2] |
| Selection | State Civil Services Examination |
| Association | Uttar Pradesh PDS Association |
| Head of the State Civil Services | |
| Chief Secretary | Dr. Anup Chandra Pandey, IAS |
| Principal Secretary (DoRD) | Anurag Srivastava, IAS |
| Rural Development Commissioner | Nagendra Prasad Singh, IAS |
Provincial Rural Development Services (PRDS) rechristened in 2001 as Provincial Development Service[3] (IAST: Prāntīya Vikās Sevā), abbreviated to as PDS, is the civil service under Group A and Group B state service of Government of Uttar Pradesh responsible for administering rural development programmes of the state and central government.
Recruitment
The recruitment to the service is made on the basis of an annual competitive examination conducted by Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission. Currently fifty percent of PDS quota is filled by promotion from Assistant Development Officers' cadre of rural development department, cooperative department and statistical department. PDS officers, regardless of their mode of entry, are appointed by the Governor of Uttar Pradesh.[2]
Responsibilities of PDS officer
The typical functions performed by a PDS officers are:
- Implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act;
- Implementation of PMAY(G) programme;
- Implementation of National Rural Livelihood Mission Programme (NRLM);
- BDOs also perform the duties of Chief Executive Officer in Kshetra Panchayats;
- Monitoring and coordinating the implementation of all the programs related to rural planning and development.[4][5]
- Works for the rural development administration as well its regulatory administration.[4][5]
- Oversee various developmental schemes of rural poverty alleviation and infrastructure creation of the state and central government.[4][5]
Career progression
After completing their training, a PDS officer generally serves as Block Development Officer in Blocks[6] in a District. After that, they get promoted as, District Development Officer or as Project Director of District Rural Development Agency or Deputy Commissioners of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee (popularly known as DC MGNREGA) or Deputy Commissioners of National Rural Livelihood Mission (popularly known as DC NRLM) and later, Chief Development Officer in districts or as Joint Development Commissioners in Divisions and as Joint Commissioners in Commissionerate of Rural Development.[4][5]
Salary structure
| Grade/level on pay matrix | Base Salary (per month) | Some Positions in the Government of Uttar Pradesh | Years of Service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Junior administrative grade (pay level 12) | ₹78800–191500 | chief development officer in district, joint development commissioner in division, joint commissioner in commissionerate of rural development | 26th year |
| Senior time scale (pay level 11) | ₹67700–160000 | district development officer in district, project director of district rural development agency, deputy commissioner of labour and self employment in district, deputy commissioner in commissionerate of rural development | 19th year |
| Junior time scale (pay level 10) | ₹56100–132000 | block development officer, attachment at Vikas Bhawan in district | Initial year |
Major concerns and reforms
Promotion of PDS officers
PDS officers' Association has demanded to not to post IAS and PCS officers as CDO in districts since they lack the expertise in rural development unlike PDS who know it inside out. Promotion of PDS officers as DDO and PD DRDA almost takes two decades while their counterparts in PCS already serves as CDO or are at verge at promotion as IAS officers. Recently state government decided to reserve 28 districts of which 20 districts will have PDS officers posted as CDO at one point of time. PDS officers' Association opposed 'reserving' districts for PDS officers and said the districts which are reserved for PDS officers are backward ones. Currently an IAS and PCS officers just take six and sixteen years of service to become CDO respectively unlike PDS officers who take at least twenty six years to reach the same rank. They have also demanded pay scale at par with PCS officer at various instances. PDS officers have protested against power given to Divisional Commissioner through notification by government to transfer BDO within divisions.
Staff shortage
There are 460 BDO posts vacant in state. Hence senior PDS officers such as DDO and PD DRDA holds additional charge of blocks. Officers from other state civil services too are given charge of BDO but only for one block according to the new order released by Principal Secretary of the department.
See also
- Provincial Civil Service (Uttar Pradesh)
- Provincial Forest Service (Uttar Pradesh)
- Provincial Police Service (Uttar Pradesh)
- Provincial Finance and Accounts Service (Uttar Pradesh)
- Provincial Secretariat Service (Uttar Pradesh)
- Provincial Transport Service (Uttar Pradesh)
References
- ^ "Staff College for PRDS officers". Deendayal Upadhyaya State Institute of Rural Development. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ a b "2015 Total Cadre strength of PRDS as in June 2012" (PDF). Department of Rural Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- ^ "Service Rules" (PDF). Department of Rural Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
- ^ a b c d "Performance Budget of Rural Development Department of Uttar Pradesh" (PDF). Department of Rural Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh. Retrieved October 16, 2018.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b c d "Role, Functions & Responsibilities of PDS officers". Commissionerate of Rural Development, Department of Rural Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh. Retrieved October 15, 2018.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|dead-url=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "List of Blocks in Uttar Pradeshs" (PDF). Department of Rural Development, Government of Uttar Pradesh. Retrieved 16 October 2018.