Speculation rife over next chief secretary of state
: Who will be the next chief secretary of Uttar Pradesh is the obvious question doing the rounds in the corridors of power as chief secretary Durga Shankar Mishra is set to retire on June 30, 2024.
A 1984 batch IAS officer, Mishra has been on an extension. He was repatriated to Uttar Pradesh, his home and cadre state, just before his retirement from the service on December 31, 2021.
He was appointed chief secretary with one-year extension. He was given another yearlong extension. His third extension of six months ends on June 30.
Will Mishra get another extension? Already names of various senior IAS officers are doing the rounds for the top post of the state’s bureaucracy. These include Arun Singhal of the 1987 batch now posted as secretary health, medical and family welfare with the Union government. Singhal will retire on April 30, 2025.
Another IAS Leena Nandan of 1987 batch is working as secretary consumer affairs with the Union government. She has worked on various important positions in the state. She will retire on December 31, 2024.
Uttar Pradesh’s Agriculture Production Commissioner and IIDC Manoj Kumar Singh, who also holds charge of various other important departments, is being considered the frontrunner for the post. Singh, an IAS officer of 1988 batch, also enjoys the confidence of chief minister Yogi Adityanath. He will retire on July 31, 2025.
At the same time, secretary DOPT S Radha Chauhan was also considered a strong claimant. Her tenure, however, ends on June 30, 2024. The senior most IAS officer working in Uttar Pradesh after the chief secretary is Rajneesh Dubey. He is working as chairman, Board of Revenue, Uttar Pradesh, and his service tenure ends on August 31, 2024.