New Delhi, Jan 20 (IANS): The Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh will now be considered as "hard areas" for postings of AGMUT cadre IAS and IPS officers, a Central government notification said.

According to the notification issued January 18, a decision has been taken by the Central government to this effect and the guidelines for the transfer and posting of IAS, and IPS officers of the joint cadre of Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram, and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre have also been modified accordingly.

The erstwhile J&K cadre was merged with AGMUT in 2021 after Jammu and Kashmir was bifurcated into the two Union Territories on August 5, 2019.

The Home Ministry communication said that consequent upon the merger of the J&K cadre into AGMUT cadre, the matter has been examined and with the approval of competent authority, it has been decided that the UTs of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh may be categorised as "hard areas" in the joint AGMUT cadre.

Postings of IAS, and IPS officers of the cadre are divided into "regular" and "hard" areas postings. Postings in Delhi, Chandigarh, Goa, Puducherry, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu will be considered as "regular areas" or Category A, while postings in Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh will be considered as "hard areas" or Category B.