IAS officer Manoj Kumar Singh takes over as Uttar Pradesh chief secretary
IAS officer Manoj Kumar Singh takes over as Uttar Pradesh chief secretary
Senior IAS officer Manoj Kumar Singh took over as the chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday, an official statement said.
The 1988-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, replaces Durga Shankar Mishra, it added.
Singh has been holding the charge of the agriculture production commissioner, infrastructure and industrial development commissioner and the additional chief secretary of the Panchayati Raj department of Uttar Pradesh till now.
Speaking to reporters later, he said, "This is an opportunity for us and our entire team of officers to do whatever work that can be done for the betterment of the 24 crore people of the state under the guidance of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath".
About the upcoming Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj, Singh said he would make efforts to organise the 'MahaKumbh 2025' in a better and more organised manner.
Singh played a crucial role in realising Adityanath's vision of transforming the 2019 Kumbh Mela into a grand global event. As the nodal officer, he oversaw its preparations and now, as the chief secretary, his experience will be instrumental in successfully organising the 'Mahakumbh 2025', the statement said.
The official said he would work to ensure that people get justice easily at the block, tehsil and police station levels and their problems are resolved impartially.
Singh has discharged important administrative responsibilities in his career, including as the district magistrate of Lalitpur, Gautam Buddh Nagar, Pilibhit, Moradabad and Aligarh and as the divisional commissioner of Moradabad. Singh is considered a prominent face in Adityanath's team.
The statement also said that during the Covid-19 pandemic, Singh was part of teams that played a significant role in controlling the spread of the virus in rural areas.
Singh contributed significantly to both the planning and implementation of Adityanath's 'BC Sakhi' scheme, which embodies the concept of 'Banking at Your Doorstep', it added.
Mishra, a 1984-batch IAS officer, who was due to retire from service on December 31, 2021, was repatriated to his parent cadre, Uttar Pradesh, and appointed as its chief secretary barely two days before his retirement. He had been holding the charge since then on extension of service.