IB may lose experienced officers through VRS

kolkata: the centre may be wanting to shed dead wood through its recently announced vrs scheme, but intelligence agencies are poised to lose experienced officers if the scheme is offered. a number of seasoned and experienced officers, some with as much as 35 to 40 years of service are keen to opt for the scheme once it is offered. "our department can lose as much as 40 per cent staff once the vrs gets underway," pointed out an officer in one of the central intelligence agencies.sources in security agencies in kolkata say that it will be extremely difficult to replace these officers. "many of these were undercover agents with wide and deep network of contacts and informers. no doubt we will find it difficult to replace them," an intelligence official pointed out. it is not kolkata that could become vulnerable from the point of view of intelligence. some of these officers were handling the north-east and neighbouring countries. and all these have become extremely critical, given the present security scenario. the irony is, most of these officers are too willing to chuck up their job if the deal is right. "we are the eyes and ears of the government. but intelligence gathered by us is being used only with political end in view," rues an operative who is keen to take up vrs. most agree that more than the vrs deal, it is the lack of professional atmosphere that will prompt them to go for the ejection button.