New Delhi: In a significant administrative reshuffle, the Union Home Ministry has appointed H. Rajesh Prasad (IAS: 1995) as the Chief Secretary of Chandigarh. A senior IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, Prasad replaces Mandip Singh Brar, who held the post briefly after the transfer of Rajeev Verma to the Government of NCT Delhi.
This marks another high-level bureaucratic appointment within the joint AGMUT cadre, which includes Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Delhi, and Union Territories.
Official Notification and Background
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) issued the appointment order on September 30, 2025, following Verma’s transfer as Chief Secretary of Delhi on September 28. Prasad’s appointment is in line with the Centre’s cadre management policies and comes at a crucial time when administrative continuity is seen as key to policy execution in UTs.
Who is H. Rajesh Prasad?
H Rajesh Prasad is a 1995-batch Indian Administrative Service officer from the AGMUT cadre, currently serving in Jammu & Kashmir as Principal Secretary of the Power Development Department (PDD) since September 2022. He is widely respected for his proactive and reform-driven administrative style.
- Born: June 1, 1967, Karnataka
- Education: B.Com, LL.B, Dual MBAs in Finance (IGNOU) and Public Management (Pondicherry University)
- Alumni: Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore; Pondicherry University
Notable Administrative Roles & Achievements
Throughout his career, Prasad has held key roles across Arunachal Pradesh, South Delhi, Delhi Government, and Jammu & Kashmir –
- District Collector, South Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh
- Commissioner, Trade & Taxes and Urban Development, Delhi
- Principal Secretary, Education and Urban Development, Delhi
- Principal Secretary, Power Development Department, J&K
- Additional Charge, Agriculture Production Department, J&K (till Aug 2024)
Transformational Work in Jammu & Kashmir’s Power Sector
During his tenure in J&K, Prasad introduced strategic reforms in the power sector, especially ahead of the demanding winter season –
- Enforced strict curtailment schedules and grid discipline
- Focused on smart metering, feeder audits, and transformer monitoring
- Led winter preparedness drives to minimize outages in Kashmir
- Improved financial governance through budget enforcement and loss reduction
- Oversaw reduction of peak power deficit from 22% to 12% between FY21 and FY24
- Strong stance on power theft, quick billing, and AT&C loss control
- Member of Board of Directors, KPDCL, contributing to distribution reforms
Chandigarh Bureaucratic Changes: A Quick Recap
- Rajeev Verma (IAS: 1992) became Chandigarh’s first Chief Secretary in January 2025, after MHA abolished the earlier post of Adviser to the Administrator.
- Mandip Singh Brar, a senior IAS officer, took interim charge on October 1, after Verma’s move to Delhi.
- With H. Rajesh Prasad’s appointment, Chandigarh now regains stable bureaucratic leadership amid administrative restructuring.
What This Appointment Means
Prasad’s extensive experience in infrastructure development, urban governance, power sector reform, and cross-departmental coordination is expected to benefit Chandigarh’s administrative priorities—particularly in urban infrastructure, public utilities, and governance transparency.
With his record of zero-tolerance on inefficiency, focus on tech-driven governance, and people-first approach, the UT of Chandigarh is likely to witness performance-driven public administration under his leadership.
