On February 17, a significant appointment in the capital, Delhi, sent ripples through Haryana’s bureaucracy. The then Chief Secretary of Haryana, Vivek Joshi, a 1989 batch IAS officer, was appointed by the Central Government as the Election Commissioner of India. With his departure, all eyes turned to who would succeed him as the state’s next Chief Secretary. Then, late in the evening of February 19, an unexpected announcement shocked everyone – Mr Anurag Rastogi, a 1990 batch IAS officer, was appointed as the new Chief Secretary. This decision was surprising because, in terms of seniority, Mr Rastogi ranked third, with two senior IAS officers ahead of him.
The state government, however, placed its trust in Mr Rastogi, who was then serving as the Finance Commissioner, Revenue, and Additional Chief Secretary for Finance and Planning. This decision was not without reason. His impeccable reputation and extensive experience were key factors in his appointment. Throughout his career, wherever he served, he consistently left a lasting impact with his diligent work and strong leadership. As the 39th Chief Secretary, his appointment reflects the government’s focus on maintaining steady leadership, particularly as Haryana continues to navigate its developmental goals and state initiatives.
SECOND TIME CS
An interesting aspect of Mr. Rastogi’s appointment is that it marks his second term as Chief Secretary. Earlier last year, following the retirement of 1988-batch IAS officer TVSN Prasad on October 30, the government appointed Dr. Vivek Joshi as the new Chief Secretary. However, due to a delay in Joshi’s taking charge, the government appointed Mr. Rastogi as the Chief Secretary of Haryana for a brief period, from November 1 to November 3.
Interestingly, there is a longstanding tradition in the Haryana government where the Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) is appointed as the Chief Secretary, and this practice has continued with Mr. Rastogi’s appointment. He will retire on June 30.
BACKGROUND
Born on 21st June, 1965, Mr Rastogi originally hails from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh and has been a highly talented individual since his childhood. His dream of becoming a civil servant led him to begin preparing for the UPSC exam during his graduation days. His hard work paid off when he cracked the UPSC CSE-1989, becoming an IAS officer and fulfilling his long-held ambition.
With his extensive administrative background, Mr Rastogi’s expertise is expected to significantly benefit the government, particularly in financial management and policy-making. Currently, he also serves as Secretary-in-Charge of General Administration, Human Resources, Personnel and Training, Parliamentary Affairs, Vigilance, and Planning Coordination.
HIS CAREER
Rastogi has held several key positions as Director and Principal Secretary in various important departments throughout his career. After completing his IAS training, he was first posted as Sub-Divisional Magistrate in Narnaul on August 17, 1992. He went on to serve as Sub-Divisional Officer in Narnaul (1992-93) and Narwana (1993-94). From 1994 to 1997, he was posted as Additional Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Kaithal and CEO of the District Rural Development Agency (DRDA). In 1996, he also took on the additional responsibility of DC for Rohtak.
In 1997-98, he served as Additional DC of Panchkula and CEO of DRDA, while also assuming the additional charge of DC of Panchkula. In 1998-99, he became DC of Panipat. From 1999 to 2000, he worked as Joint Secretary in the Finance Department of the Haryana Government. He served as DC of Hisar from 2000 to 2002, followed by DC of Gurugram from 2002 to 2004 and back to DC of Panipat from 2004 to 2005.
In 2005, he was appointed Director of the Haryana Development and Panchayat Department and also served as Joint Secretary in the Government. From 2007 to 2009, he held the position of Director of Haryana Secondary Education and Special Secretary to the Government. Between 2009 and 2012, he was the Excise and Taxation Commissioner of Haryana.
From 2012 to 2015, he served as the Director General of Town and Country Planning and Urban Estate Haryana. In 2015, he was given the additional charge of Principal Secretary in the Haryana Government. Between 2016 and 2020, he served as Principal Secretary for various departments in the Haryana Government. From 2021 to 2024, he was entrusted with the additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary for several key departments.
In 2024, along with his appointment as Chief Secretary, he also took on the additional responsibilities of General Administration, Human Resources, Parliamentary Affairs, and more. Furthermore, he will now serve as the Secretary in charge of Planning Coordination.
SIX NAMES WERE IN RACE
Six IAS officers from the 1990 batch were vying for the position of Chief Secretary of Haryana. Among them, Sudhir Rajpal and Dr. Sumita Mishra were the most senior. Other contenders included Anurag Rastogi, Anand Mohan Sharan, Raj Shekhar Kundru, and Ankur Gupta, all from the same batch.
Notably, last year, three officers from the 1990 batch – Mr Rastogi, Mr Gupta (now retired), and Mr Vundru – submitted a memorandum to the Haryana government. They sought an amendment to the seniority list, requesting to be placed ahead of Rajpal and Mishra, as both were transferred from other states, while the three officers were part of the Haryana IAS cadre.
While the government has yet to make a decision on this representation, it made a surprising move by appointing Mr Rastogi as the new Chief Secretary, bypassing the seniority of both Rajpal and Mishra.
A TRUSTED LEADER
With decades of service and key roles across various departments, Anurag Rastogi is well-equipped to manage the immense responsibilities of his new role. His leadership is expected to guide the state through ongoing projects and address new administrative challenges, ensuring that Haryana continues to make progress on its developmental front.
