Kolkata, Aug 15 (IANS): After a nine-year gap, the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officers from the West Bengal cadre were felicitated by Chief minister Mamata Banerjee along with their Indian Police Service (IPS) colleagues from the state on Tuesday on the occasion of Independence Day.

The last time IAS officers were felicitated on the occasion of the Independence Day was in 2014.

“After that every year, a though a number of IPS officers were felicitated, the IAS officers were not included in the list,” said a bureaucrat.

A total of 11 IAS officers were felicitated during the celebrationat the Red Road in Kolkata.

The felicitation medals were presented to them by the Chief Minister.

The state’s additional chief secretary in charge of home affairs, B.P. Gopalika was one of the top bureaucrats to receive felicitation medals on Tuesday.

At the same time, a total of six IPS officers were also awarded in two categories.

Under the lifetime achievement award for outstanding services, one officer in the additional director of police rank was awarded.

Under the commendable performance category five officers in the ranks of superintendents were awarded.