Patna, Dec. 14: The Centre has turned down the state government's proposal to increase the sanctioned cadre posts of IPS officers of Bihar.

Top sources in the state home department said this is the second time in the past one year when the government's request for enhancing the sanctioned strength of IPS officers has been rejected.

In October, the home department had proposed to the Centre that 15 new posts be added to the sanctioned strength of Bihar cadre IPS officers, taking the total number to 246.

At present the state has 231 sanctioned posts. Of these, 161 posts are to be filled up with direct recruits while the remaining 70 are for state cadre officers who are promoted to the IPS.

A senior official in the home department said: "The file related to enhancing the cadre posts of IPS officers was returned two-three days ago. We received a communiqué in this regard from the department of personnel and training, government of India."

An officer posted in the union home ministry said the Centre was in favour of adding five to six posts to the allotted strength of IPS officers of Bihar.

The state government had proposed the creation of a new post in the rank of director-general (DG) of police. The new post will be known as DG (recruitment board). Thus, as per the proposal, there will be four cadre posts of DG in the state against the existing three.

The government has also proposed creation of one cadre post in the rank of additional director-general (ADG) and four posts of the rank of superintendent of police.

The home department official said the proposal to add new posts was prepared in the wake of the review of cadre posts carried out every five years. The last review was done in 2010 when the authorised posts of IPS officers were increased from 193 to 231, the officer said.

The state is likely to face a shortfall of IPS officers as many of them in the rank of DIG are likely to retire in a month or two. Among the DIG-rank officers likely to retire are Sudhir Kumar, Barun Kumar Sinha, Sukan Paswan and Asgar Imam, all belonging to the 2001 batch after being promoted to the IPS from the state service.

Last month, another IPS officer, Mansoor Ahmad, who was posted with the state home guards, superannuated.

Two other DIG-rank officers - Chandrika Prasad and Ajit Kumar Rai - are likely to retire from service next year, in July and November respectively.

At present 34 Bihar cadre IPS officers are on central assignments.