To cut down its hefty expenditure on the bureaucracy, the cash-strapped Himachal Pradesh Government is planning to approach the Centre for a reduction in the sanctioned strength of IAS, IPS and Indian Forest Service (IFS) officers in the state.Though successive governments have in the past flagged the “unnecessary burden” of the oversized bureaucracy on the exchequer, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu today said Himachal would formally move a proposal to the Centre for trimming the strength of all three All India Services. He said maintaining the large cadre cost the state about Rs 200 crore annually.“Himachal will seek a reduction of 23 IAS posts, bringing the sanctioned strength down from 153 to 130. Though I firmly believe it should be further reduced to around 100-110, we are seeking a cut of 23 owing to resentment among IAS officers,” he said.Similarly, the IFS strength is proposed to be reduced by 35 posts, from 118 to 83. He said the IPS cadre that currently comprised 96 posts also needed to be downsized.Outlining the proposal, Sukhu said Himachal did not need such a large bureaucracy, but wanted officers “committed to implementing welfare schemes with sincerity”. “The talent of several officers is going waste as some have little or no work. We are now issuing NOCs and relieving officers instantly compared to the past when approvals for central deputation were usually delayed,” he said.Burdened with a debt of over Rs 1 lakh crore, Himachal is exploring ways to bring down expenditure. Nearly two dozen IAS officers and more than a dozen each from the IPS and the IFS are currently on central deputation.A formal proposal to cut the posts is likely to be sent to the Centre by the Himachal Department of Personnel so that the expenditure on salaries, support staff, official vehicles, accommodation and other perks enjoyed by these officers can be saved. The state is likely to cite factors such as top-heavy Forest Departments, which faces a staff shortage at the lower level, hampering effective management.“The move is aimed at ensuring better governance within the state’s available resources,” said a senior official. On average, more than Rs 50 lakh was annually spent on each officer, an amount that could be saved by trimming the cadre strength, the official said.