E-Paper
UP govt seeks extension for chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh
Sources said the state government has cited Singh’s contributions to industrial and infrastructure development, including efforts towards achieving a one trillion-dollar economy goal. The letter also mentions the upcoming Global Investors Summit and Ground Breaking Ceremony planned for later this year.
The Uttar Pradesh government has written to the Centre seeking an extension in service for chief secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, who is due to retire on July 31. Singh, a 1988-batch IAS officer, was appointed as the chief secretary on June 30, 2024, following the retirement of Durga Shankar Mishra, who had served with a two-and-a-half-year extension.
Sources said the state government has cited Singh’s contributions to industrial and infrastructure development, including efforts towards achieving a one trillion-dollar economy goal. The letter also mentions the upcoming Global Investors Summit and Ground Breaking Ceremony planned for later this year.
“In 2019, then chief secretary Anup Chandra Pandey was granted a six-month extension due to the Investors Summit,” a state official recalled.
Singh currently holds multiple key positions, including Infrastructure and industrial development commissioner, chairman of PICUP, chief executive officer (CEO) of UPEIDA, CEO of UPSHA, and project director of UP DASP. He has earlier served in urban development, rural development, panchayati raj, and as agriculture production commissioner.
The state’s awaited top-level bureaucratic reshuffle is likely to depend on the Centre’s decision regarding Singh’s extension.
Sources said if the extension is not approved, officers from the 1989 IAS batch may be in the race for the post, including SP Goyal (additional chief secretary to the CM) and Devesh Chaturvedi (secretary, ministry of agriculture and farmers welfare). Deepak Kumar, a 1990-batch officer and current agriculture production commissioner, is also considered a strong contender.
A senior official said several IAS officers currently hold multiple departmental charges. The reshuffle is expected to redistribute responsibilities, especially after the recent promotion of 22 PCS officers to the IAS rank.
Amit Singh’s deputation extended in CM Secretariat
Amit Singh, secretary to chief minister Yogi Adityanath, will continue in the CM Secretariat till March 2027. Deputy secretary, department of personnel and training, Annies Kanmani Joy, stated that the appointment committee of the cabinet has approved the ministry of railways’ proposal to extend the deputation of Singh, a 2000-batch Indian Railway Stores Service (IRSS) officer, till March 31, 2027, in relaxation of the existing policy.
