Ashok Kumar Sinha

Patna, Aug. 27: Nitish Kumar today sought to lay down his government’s priorities ahead of the next elections by posting “go-getter” officials in key sectors where he wants performance to be improved.

Development commissioner Ashok Kumar Sinha, a 1976 batch IAS officer known for his no-nonsense approach, will be the next chief secretary. He will replace Navin Kumar, who retires on August 31.

Nitish has also brought in a new principal secretary in the chief minister’s secretariat after a gap of two years. Anjani Kumar Singh (1981 batch), at present the agriculture production commissioner, has been inducted to the post, which has remained vacant since the retirement of RC Prasad in 2010. Prasad, popularly known as RCP and a trusted aide of Nitish since his days in the railway ministry, was sent to the Rajya Sabha post-retirement.

Also shifted in the sweeping shuffle are key officers Chanchal Kumar and S. Sidhartha, who have been placed in infrastructure sectors. Afzal Amanullah, the principal secretary, water resources, has been given additional charge of industries, an area the government wants to focus on. Principal secretary, industries, Alok Kumar Sinha, a trusted Nitish officer, will replace Anjani Singh as the new agriculture production commissioner.

“It’s not just a reshuffle. It effects not only the functioning of the secretariats, but also the chief minister’s office, which has been run by these officials (Chanchal Kumar and Sidhartha) for over two years. The chief minister has placed his trusted officials in sectors like urban development, industry and building construction. He has also ensured that the post of agriculture production commissioner goes to an officer he trusts,” said an IAS officer of the rank of principal secretary on the condition that he would not be named as he is not authorised to speak on the issue.

“The chief minister wants to clean up the stables in time for the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, which will be followed by the Assembly elections in 2015,” he added.

Sinha’s choice as chief secretary is significant as the officer is scheduled to retire on June 30, 2014, by which time the general elections would be over. The bureaucrat, who has been district magistrate of Madhubani and collector of Hazaribagh in undivided Bihar, has served in the state all through his career and held several key posts, including that of principal secretary, industries, and agriculture production commissioner.

Phool Singh will replace Sinha as the development commissioner. Normally, the development commissioner is considered a strong contender for the post of chief secretary, but Phool Singh is due to retire on June 30, 2013.

Anjani Singh’s appointment as the principal secretary to the chief minister is also an indication that Nitish wants hand-picked officers in key posts. Sources said Nitish could not find a “trusted” official to replace RC Prasad. He instead relied on junior, but efficient, officials like Chanchal Kumar and Sidhartha.

Anjani Singh appears to have been enjoying Nitish’s confidence since he came to power in 2005. When principal secretary, education, Madan Mohan Jha, a college friend of Nitish, passed away, the chief minister replaced him with Anjani Singh as the government’s thrust was on building schools and recruiting teachers.

Singh was shifted to the agriculture department when the government promised an “agriculture revolution” and a farm roadmap, which requires huge funds. As principal secretary to the chief minister, Anjani Singh, an avid grower of cactus plants, is supposed to keep a tab on key sectors like education, power and other infrastructure projects where Nitish wants performance to improve.

The post of principal secretary to the chief minister is usually given to the most trusted IAS officer. All files to the chief minister, including those on policy decisions, are routed through the principal secretary.

Chanchal Kumar and Sidhartha, the two officials who looked after the CM’s secretariat, have been moved out. IIT-educated Kumar (1992 batch) will take over as secretary, building construction department. He will hold additional charge of art, culture and sports. Sidhartha, a 1991 batch officer, will be the secretary, urban development. According to informed sources, the chief minister wanted these officials to take charge of two key infrastructure sectors and they were taken into confidence before the shuffle.

Among other transfers, principal secretary, parliamentary affairs, Manoj Kumar Srivastava has been promoted to the rank of chief secretary and made the new departmental enquiry commissioner. Principal secretary, revenue and land reforms, C Ashok Vardhan has also been promoted to the rank of chief secretary, but will remain in the same post.

Advisor to the state Planning Board, Anil Kumar has been made the chief advisor of the same board. Tirhut commissioner S.K. Negi will be the new Patna commissioner. The present Patna commissioner, KP Ramaiya, has been shifted as principal secretary, mines.

The additional departmental enquiry commissioner, Amitabh Verma, has been made principal secretary, panchayati raj. Additional member of the revenue board, Rajesh Gupta, has been given additional charge of administrator, Bihar State Co-operative Bank. The principal secretary, rural development, A Santosh Matthew, has been posted in the labour department in the same rank.

Atul Prasad, who was waiting for posting, has been made principal secretary, co-operative department. Principal secretary, building construction department, Sudhir Kumar has been shifted to the same post in the parliamentary affairs department. His namesake, Sudhir Kumar, currently the secretary, urban development, has been made secretary, sugar industry department. The secretary, labour, Amrit Lal Meena, has been shifted to the rural development department in the same capacity.

Secretary, minor water resources, Deepak Kumar, has been given additional charge of managing director, Bihar State Food and Civil Supplies Corporation. The secretary of Bihar Human Rights Commission, Vandana Kinni, has been made the new commissioner of Darbhanga. The secretary, co-operative, Rajit Punhani, will be the new secretary, social welfare department. His predecessor Sandeep Pounderik has been shifted to the excise department in the same post. The administrator of Bihar State Road Transport Corporation, Uday Singh Kumawat, has been shifted as secretary, finance department. He will also look after the corporation.

Secretary, finance, Mihir Kumar Singh will be the new commissioner of Tirhut. Secretary, rural development, B. Rajendra, will hold additional charge of Bihar Beverage Corporation. The secretary of health department, Ashish Kumar, will hold additional charge of secretary, state human rights commission.

The MD of Bihar State Food and Civil Supplies Corporation Pradeep Kumar has been made commissioner MNREGA in the rural development department. The director of midday meal, education department R. Laxmanan will hold additional charge as joint secretary of rural works department. The project director of Bihar Gram Swaraj Society Lokesh Kumar Singh will be the additional secretary, panchayati raj.