NEW DELHI: In two significant developments involving senior civil servants, the Haryana Government has appointed its senior-most IAS officer, Sudhir Rajpal, as Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Finance and Planning Departments, while Goa’s Director of Official Languages, Meghanath P. Porob, has been appointed to the Indian Administrative Service through promotion.
The developments come amid administrative changes in Haryana following the retirement of senior IAS officer Arun Gupta on September 30 and Porob’s induction into the IAS under the Select List of 2024 for the Joint AGMUT Cadre.
Sudhir Rajpal Gets Additional Charge of Haryana Finance Department
The Haryana Government on Saturday appointed 1990-batch IAS officer Sudhir Rajpal as Additional Chief Secretary, Finance and Planning Departments.
The Finance and Planning portfolio had fallen vacant following the retirement of Arun Gupta on September 30. Gupta had also been holding the charge of Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister.
So far, the Haryana Government has not appointed another officer as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister. No re-employment has also been offered to Gupta following his retirement.
Rajpal will take over the Finance and Planning responsibilities while continuing to hold several other important portfolios in the state government.
Besides Finance and Planning, he will continue as ACS, Home, Jails, Criminal Investigation and Administration of Justice Departments. He will also retain the charge of ACS, Environment, Forests and Wildlife Departments.
The expanded portfolio makes Rajpal one of the key administrative officers handling a wide range of critical departments in the Haryana Government.
Sudhir Rajpal’s Administrative Career
Sudhir Rajpal is a 1990-batch IAS officer and is currently the senior-most IAS officer in the Haryana cadre.
He was transferred from the Himachal Pradesh cadre to the Haryana cadre on May 1, 1994.
Rajpal also served with the Government of India from July 18, 2001, to March 15, 2005, during his career.
Over the years, he has handled several important assignments in the Haryana Government. He has previously served as Administrative Secretary in charge of the Civil Aviation, Health and Agriculture Departments.
His latest assignment in the Finance and Planning Departments adds another major responsibility to his existing portfolio, particularly at a time when the state’s fiscal planning and departmental resource allocation require close administrative oversight.
Meghanath P. Porob Promoted to IAS
In a separate development, Meghanath P. Porob, Director of Official Languages in Goa, has been appointed to the Indian Administrative Service through promotion.
His induction has been made to the Joint AGMUT Cadre under the Select List of 2024, according to the notification issued by the Central Government and subsequently forwarded by the Goa Government.
Porob has been serving as Director of Official Languages in Goa, where he has been responsible for the administration and implementation of matters relating to the state’s official languages.
His elevation to the IAS marks an important milestone in his administrative career and brings him into the country’s premier administrative service through the promotion route.
Porob’s Induction into Joint AGMUT Cadre
With his appointment under the Select List of 2024, Porob becomes part of the Joint AGMUT Cadre, which covers the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram-Union Territories cadre.
His induction follows the prescribed process for promotion of eligible officers into the IAS from the State Civil Service/eligible state administrative service stream.
The development is also significant for Goa’s administrative establishment, as Porob has been associated with the state’s official-language administration before his induction into the IAS.
