Rajendra Prasad Mandal is new Chief Secy of C’garh
| Date :01-Nov-2019 |
Rajendra Prasad Mandal, IAS, taking charge as the 11th Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh. Outgoing Chief Secretary Sunil Kumar Kujur looks on.
Staff Reporter :
RAIPUR,
Chhattisgarh government on Thursday announced the appointment of Rajendra Prasad Mandal, a 1987 batch Chhattisgarh cadre Indian Administrative Service Officer, as the new Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh. The announcement came on the day of retirement of incumbent Chief Secretary Sunil Kumar Kujur. The announcement of R P Mandal as the new Chief Secretary, was welcomed by the people from all quarters as the flamboyant IAS officer is known for his straight forward and easy going nature, at the same time his performance as an IAS officer, right from the post of District Collector, had been exemplary.
In fact that was the reason why the state government selected him over-looking seniority. Although his immediate senior and an IAS officer of same batch Chittaranjan Kumar Khetan, senior most IAS in the state and former Chief Secretary Ajay Singh were in the contention for the coveted post, but the state government zeroed-in on Mandal. In fact Khetan was a strong contender due to his long central posting but the state government gave credence to Mandal.
Also his presentation on state government’s flagship Suraji Gaon (Narwa, Garuwa, Ghurwa and Badi) scheme, had impressed the Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel, which also paved way for Mandal’s selection. After his appointment as Chief Secretary, R P Mandal became the 11th Chief Secretary of Chhattisgarh. Earlier, those who donned this coveted post in Chhattisgarh were Arun Kumar, Suyogya Kumar Misra, A K Vijayvargiya, R P Bagai, Shivraj Singh, P Joy Ommen, Sunil Kumar, Vivek Dhand, Ajay Singh and Sunil Kujur. Born on November 19, 1960, Mandal possesses a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering with an M Tech (Diploma). Before being promoted to the post of Chief Secretary, Mandal was posted as Additional Chief Secretary Panchayat and Rural Development with additional charge of Development Commissioner and Director General Thakur Pyarelal Panchayat and Rural Development Institute (SIRD), Raipur as well as Forest department.
The appointment of R P Mandal as Chief Secretary followed a minor reshuffle in the top IAS cadre of the state with state government issuing fresh posting orders for eight other senior IAS officers. Accordingly, former Chief Secretary and President Board of Revenue Bilaspur Ajay Singh, a 1983 batch IAS, has been posted as Deputy Chairman of State Planning Commission, Atal Nagar Nava Raipur. Chittaranjan Kumar Khetan, a 1987 batch IAS, presently posted as Additional Chief Secretary Home and Jail with additional charge of Planning, Economics and Statistics, Implementation of 20 points Programme and Science and Technology department, has been given fresh posting as President, Board of Revenue, Bilaspur. Dr Alok Shukla, a 1986 batch IAS, presently posted as Principal Secretary Mantralaya has been posted as Principal Secretary Planning, Economics and Statistics, Implementation of 20 points Programme and Science and Technology department with additional charge of Director General, Chhattisgarh Science and Technology Council, Raipur. Subrat Sahoo, a 1992 batch IAS, presently posted as Chief Electoral Officer Chhattisgarh, has been posted as Principal Secretary, Home and Jail with additional charge of Principal Secretary Panchayat and Rural Development department. Manoj Kumar Pingua, a 1994 batch IAS, presently posted as Principal Secretary Commerce and Industries and Public Sector Undertakings with additional charge of Principal Secretary Transport, Transport Commissioner, OSD cum Commissioner Chhattisgarh State Industrial Development Corporation (CSIDC), has been relieved from the responsibility of Principal Secretary Transport, Transport Commissioner and given additional charge of Principal Secretary Forest department. Dr Maninder Kaur Dwivedi, a 1995 batch IAS, presently posted as Principal Secretary Gramodyog with additional charge of Principal Secretary Agriculture (Independent Charge – Horticulture, Mandi Board and Milk Federation) and Residential Commissioner Chhattisgarh Bhawan New Delhi has been posted as Agriculture Produce Commissioner and Principal Secretary Agriculture and Bio-diversity department with additional charge of Principal Secretary Gramodyog and Residential Commissioner Chhattisgarh Bhawan New Delhi. The posting of Dr Dwivedi was issued after K D P Rao, Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture Produce Commissioner and Principal Secretary Agriculture and Bio-diversity) retired on October 31, 2019. Dr Kamalpreet Singh, a 2002 batch IAS, presently posted as Secretary, Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection with additional charge of Secretary GAD and Commissioner-cum-Director Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Protection has given additional charge of Secretary Transport and Transport Commissioner along with his existing responsibilities. Bhuvanesh Yadav, a 2006 batch IAS, presently posted as Special Secretary, Health and Family Welfare with additional charge of Commissioner, Health Services and MD Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation has been posted as Commissioner, Health Services with additional charge of Managing Director Chhattisgarh Medical Services Corporation.