Rajiv Kumar takes over as new UP Chief Secretary

Three months after taking over as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath finally got a new Chief Secretary replacing Rahul Bhatnagar with the 1981 batch IAS officer Rajiv Kumar.

Hailing from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, Rajiv Kumar took over as the new Chief Secretary on Thursday afternoon. Bhatnagar has been posted as Chairman of Greater Noida Authority and Investment Commissioner.

Soon after taking over the charge, the new Chief Secretary Rajiv Kumar met with CM Adityanath to understand his government's priorities. "The CM has spelled out his government's priority areas. We will carry forward the government's agenda and speed up development works," Kumar said.

"I believe in working with team spirit. It has always shown good results," he said.

Kumar was relieved by the Centre last week as the Secretary in Shipping Ministry. He had joined the UP cadre back on Wednesday. He is an officer with clean and efficient image with no controversies during his 26 year of services.

The outgoing 1983 batch Chief Secretary Rahul Bhatnagar's name was not above suspicion in the Gomti Riverfront project. He is also alleged to have played an important role in selling of state-owned 24 sugar mills in Uttar Pradesh to late Ponty Chaddha's firms and others.