Written by Kanchan VasdevChandigarh | Updated: November 20, 2025 08:51 AM IST 4 min readChief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that he understood the Centre did not approve an earlier three-officer panel proposed for the post. (Express Photo)Departing from the convention of appointing a Punjab cadre IAS officer as the general manager to the Food Corporation of India (FCI), Punjab region, the Centre is planning to appoint a UT cadre IAS officer to the post, even as Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had in early November cautioned against such a move.The incumbent FCI GM, Punjab region, B Srinivasan, a 2011-batch Punjab cadre IAS officer, is set to retire on December 31. Before Srinivasan’s retirement, the Centre wants to appoint a UT-cadre IAS officer posted in Delhi, his successor, sources told The Indian Express.On November 6, Mann sent a demi-official (DO) letter to Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi, cautioning, “This will create disharmony and doubts in the minds of farmers, arhtiyas, labourers and other stakeholders.”“The CM’s letter holds importance as Punjab procures foodgrains to the tune of Rs 1 lakh crore annually, and a Punjab cadre officer is well aware of the massive process taking place twice a year. The appointment of an inexperienced officer certainly means problems,” a state government officer said on condition of anonymity.The CM also reminded the Union minister of the 2020 farmer agitation against the three contentious farm laws, as he further stated: “It is a well-established convention that since the inception of the FCI, a Punjab cadre IAS officer has been appointed the General Manager of the FCI Punjab region, headquartered in Chandigarh. The rationale behind this convention is the critical understanding of ground realities involved in procurement, storage and movement operations. Officers, who have served Punjab at various administrative levels, possess that valuable first-hand experience of these systems essential to effectively managing this highly sensitive and operationally significant post.”In his letter, Mann said, “Punjab has always been the grain bowl of India, playing a pivotal role in ensuring the nation’s food security. Being a predominantly agrarian state, Punjab’s economy is deeply rooted in agriculture and foodgrain production. A substantial share of foodgrains procured for the central pool originates from Punjab; thus, the smooth functioning of procurement operations in the state is of critical national importance.”The chief minister said that he understood the Centre did not approve an earlier three-officer panel proposed for the post. “A fresh panel has since been submitted, but to our surprise, it has been brought to my notice, though informally, that an IAS officer from another cadre is being considered for this position. I would like to respectfully submit that if such a thing happens, it will create doubts and disharmony in the minds of farmers, millers, arhtiyas, labourers and other stakeholders. Thus, considering the unique importance of Punjab’s role in the food procurement system and the need for operational efficiency, it would be in the best interest of both the state and the nation that this key post continue to be held by an officer with prior experience in Punjab. This would not only ensure smoother coordination between the state government and the FCI, but also help maintain the momentum of procurement operations critical to India’s food security,” Mann wrote.Story continues below this adMann sought the Union minister’s personal attention to get any such decision to appoint an officer from other states reviewed and to select an officer belonging to the Punjab cadre from the panel sent to him. The chief minister said the decision should be taken well in time so that the new officer could assume charge well before the completion of the incumbent officer’s tenure.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© The Indian Express Pvt LtdTags:Bhagwant MannPunjab