On June 30th of this year, an officer ranked fourth in seniority within Uttar Pradesh’s state bureaucracy was appointed as the Chief Secretary of one of India’s largest and most populous states—superseding three senior officers. This was exceptional since his predecessor, Durgashankar Mishra, had been granted three extensions.
The new Chief Secretary of UP, Mr. Manoj Kumar Singh, a 1988-batch IAS officer, thus took on a significant responsibility, with great expectations placed on him from the outset.
So far, Singh has delivered with remarkable efficiency. He already has an impeccable record. Known for his sharp administrative acumen, he had played a pivotal role in managing the COVID-19 crisis and implementing “BC (Business Correspondents) Sakhi” scheme besides creating a robust infrastructure in the state facilitating industrial growth in excellent law and order situation.
As nodal officer in-charge of Kumbh Mela appointed by the Chief Minister he had organized the Ardh Kumbh Mela in 2019 on a grand scale and widout a mishap. The government had spent Rs 4200 crore on creating infrastructure for over 12 crore devotees who thronged Prayagraj for a holy dip in the River Ganga. The state government received accolades from the world media for a glitch-free organization of such gargantuan proportion.
A whole new tented city is created for the Kumbh lasting for two months every six years. A Purna Kumbh Mela is due to start in Prayagraj from January 13 next year for which preparations are going on in full swing. As Chief Secretary this time, Mr Singh’s challenge is to better his 2019 performance.
Mr Singh is considered one of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s most trusted officers. With his vast experience, dedication, and proven ability to deliver results, Singh has firmly established himself as a respected name in the state bureaucracy.
Prior to his appointment as Chief Secretary, Singh had served as the Agricultural Production Commissioner (APC), a position considered the second-highest in the state bureaucracy.
He has previously held several significant positions like Infrastructure & Industrial Development Commissioner (IIDC), Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) for Panchayat Raj, Horticulture & Food Processing, delivering everywhere.
As APC and IIDC, he played a crucial role in policies that fueled the state’s growth. His leadership as head of Uttar Pradesh Development Authority (UPDA), Chairman of the Uttar Pradesh State Highways Authority (UPSHA), and Pradeshiya Industrial & Investment Corporation (PICUP) has been pivotal in driving development across Uttar Pradesh.
ACHIEVEMENTS SO FAR
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Singh played a key role in controlling the virus’s spread, especially in rural areas, as part of the leadership teams in Team 11 and Team 9. He was also instrumental in the success of the ’BC Sakhi’ scheme, which brought banking services to rural women and became a national model for financial inclusion. Singh’s contributions to the scheme’s design and implementation have been widely recognized, and it has garnered national praise as a key example of financial inclusion.
As ACS Panchayati Raj, he spearheaded Uttar Pradesh’s sanitation efforts, making all 75 districts open defecation-free and overseeing the construction of the most toilets in India.
Singh was a key figure in the Global Investors Summit, which attracted ₹40 lakh crore in investments and later orchestrated the Ground Breaking Ceremony-4 (GBC-4) to launch projects worth ₹10 lakh crore. He has also championed women’s self-help groups and child development programs, including the ‘Take Home Ration’ initiative.
Mr Singh has earned reputation as a good administrator hard way. When he was appointed the APC, he wasted no time in engaging with experts in the field. Within 10 days of his appointment, he visited BHU to meet with agricultural scientists and professors. During the visit, they discussed strategies for promoting agriculture and agricultural products in Uttar Pradesh. Later, Singh invited these agricultural scientists from BHU to the Yojana Bhavan in Lucknow for further discussions.
PRIORITIES
In an interview Mr Singh said his priority is to facilitate good governance to the common man who takes his grievances to local police station, bloc development officer or tehsil. I will be happy only when their problems are solved at grassroot level with alacrity. He will also ensure that all district level officers are available for public from 10 am to 12 noon everyday to solve people’s issues.
His priority is also to start traffic on main carriageway of Ganga Expressway by the end of December to facilitate movement of Kumbh Mela devotees on it. He will also make sure that there are no more paper leaks in the state and all exams are conducted in free and fair manner.
SUPERSEDING 3 IAS
Mr Singh was appointed Chief Secretary by superseding three officers: Arun Singhal and Leena Nandan, both from the 1987 batch, and Rajnish Dubey, from the 1988 batch. Currently, Arun Singhal (retiring next year) and Leena Nandan (retiring next month) are on central deputation, while Rajnish has already retired.
Singh assumed office as Chief Secretary on Sunday, June 30, 2024. He is set to retire in July 2025.
BACKGROUND
Mr. Singh’s family originally hails from Majhui village in the Shivsagar block of the Rohtas district, Bihar. But later his family shifted to Ranchi. Born in Ranchi in 1965, he grew up in HEC Sector-2, Ranchi, where he completed his primary education at Kendriya Vidyalaya HEC. After that, He then went on to study at Banaras Hindu University (BHU), earning a B.Sc. from the Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the 1983-86 batch. He later completed M.Sc. in Agronomy at BHU. In 1988, he joined the Indian Administrative Service.
His wife, Dr. Rashmi Singh, is also a 1989-batch IAS officer, currently serving as the Principal Resident Commissioner in Srinagar.
Manoj’s father, the late Dr. Radhika Raman Singh, was a well-known pediatrician in Ranchi, serving the HEC Hospital for many years before his passing a few years ago.
CAREER SPANNING 3 DECADES
Singh’s career began in 1990 when he was appointed Joint Magistrate of Mainpuri, Uttar Pradesh. He later served as Joint Magistrate in Gonda and Aligarh before being posted as the Chief Development Officer of Jhansi in 1992, where he worked until May 1995. Following this, he took on the role of Joint Secretary in the Uttar Pradesh Government’s Industrial Development Department.
In December 1996, Singh received his first district posting as Magistrate and Collector of Lalitpur. Over the years, he held the position of District Magistrate (DM) in several districts, including Gautam Budh Nagar, Pilibhit, Moradabad, and Aligarh.
