The undersigned is directed to refer to the Annexure to this Department's O.M. of even number dated the 4th April, 1985 indicating the revised scale of personal staff for Ministers and of Parliamentary Secretaries. As per the Annexure, the Ministers of State holding charge of more than one independent Department are entitled to one additional post of Special Private Secretary in the scale of Rs. 15000-18000(pre-revised) (now revised to Rs. 3700-5000). Due to lack of precise definition of the expression independent Department some Ministries have sought to interpret the expression "independent Department" used in the said Annexure to mean any 'Department' of the Government of India. A number of references have been received in this department seeking clarification about the exact meaning of the said expression. In order to remove ambiguity, it is hereby clarified that as per the instructions contained in the aforesaid O.M. dated 4.4.1985, a Minister of State would be entitled to a special private secretary., only if he holds additional independent charge of a Ministry or of a separate independent Department under a different Ministry There is no entitlement to additional Staff in case a Minister of State holds charge of more than one Department within the same Ministry