LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government has urged the Centre for an extension of one year to chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh who is due to retire at the end of this month. The state government has made the request by writing a letter to the Central government.
“To support its request, the government has mentioned the Singh’s involvement in major projects, including the Zero Poverty programme which the Chief Secretary is spearheading. In addition to this, the letter has mentioned that a Global Investors Summit and a Ground Breaking ceremony are scheduled to take place by the end of this year, for which Singh’s presence will be crucial,” said a senior official. He indicated that, with UP assembly elections less than two years away, the government would prefer to not have any major rejig in the bureaucracy while rolling out its major programmes.
Manoj Singh is a 1988 batch officer, currently the senior most officer in state’s bureaucracy. He holds charge of multiple departments including Industrial and Infrastructure Development Commissioner, Chairperson PICUP, CEO UPEIDA, CEO UP State Highways Authority, ACS Coordination and Project Director of UP Diversified Agriculture Support Project.
Singh was appointed Chief Secretary on June 30, 2024 after the retirement of DS Mishra, who was sent from Centre and appointed UP Chief Secretary on the last day before his retirement. Mishra continued to serve on the post for the next 2.5 years.
In case the Centre does not approve Manoj Singh’s extension, a few other names are expected to succeed the outgoing Chief Secretary.
Those who may succeed Manoj Singh include 1989 batch IAS officer SP Goyal who is currently addition Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, Civil Aviation and Additional Resident Commissioner, UP and Devesh Chaturvedi from the same batch, who is currently on deputation as Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare, GOI.
While Goyal has still two years left of his service, Chaturvadi is up for retirement next year. Another officer whose name is doing the rounds is Deepka Kumar of 1990 batch. He is Additional Chief Secretary, Finance, Commissioner Finance and Chairperson of State Vigilance Commission Administrative Tribunal-I.