Mumbai: In a significant development during the Maharashtra Assembly’s Budget Session, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekardirected the state government to revoke the suspension of IAS officer M Devendra Singh, who serves as Member-Secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB).
The directive came ten days after Singh was suspended over allegations that he failed to brief Environment Minister Pankaja Munde during Assembly proceedings related to rising pollution levels in Chandrapur district. The decision followed high-level discussions in the Legislative Assembly involving senior ministers and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Suspension Triggered by Pollution Debate in Assembly
The controversy arose during a debate in the Maharashtra Assembly regarding the sharp rise in pollution levels in Chandrapur district in the Vidarbha region.
During the session on February 26, 2026, Environment Minister Pankaja Munde informed the House that despite summoning senior officials of the MPCB to provide updates on the situation, the concerned officials did not appear to brief her during the Assembly proceedings.
Following the incident, the government suspended M Devendra Singh, who was serving as Member-Secretary of the pollution control body.
However, after discussions in the Assembly and consultations at higher levels of the government, Speaker Rahul Narwekar directed that the suspension be revoked.
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Career Background of IAS Officer M Devendra Singh
M Devendra Singh is a 2011-batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service from the Maharashtra cadre. Over the years, he has accumulated around two decades of experience spanning both the private and public sectors.
He assumed the role of Member-Secretary of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board on October 8, 2025, where he has been responsible for overseeing regulatory measures related to environmental protection and pollution control in the state.
Education and Early Professional Career
Born on February 9, 1983, Singh is an alumnus of IIT Roorkee.
Before entering the civil services, he worked as a Senior Business Analyst for two multinational banks. During this period, he collaborated closely with the Reserve Bank of India on the pilot rollout of important banking reforms such as the Cheque Truncation System (CTS) and Core Banking Solutions (CBS).
His early professional experience in the financial sector provided him with significant exposure to large-scale technology-driven reforms in banking operations.
Key Administrative Roles in Maharashtra
Throughout his IAS career, Singh has served in several key administrative roles across Maharashtra.
District Administration
He spent around six years as Collector and District Magistrate in three districts, including:
• Ratnagiri
• Beed
In addition, he served as Chief Executive Officer of Zilla Parishad in two districts for nearly three years, where he was involved in implementing rural development programmes and strengthening local governance.
Urban Development Role
In October 2025, Singh was briefly transferred as Metropolitan Commissioner of the Nashik Metropolitan Region Development Authority (NMRDA) before assuming his role at the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board.
Awards and Recognitions
During his administrative career, Singh has received several recognitions for his work in governance and public administration.
• Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration
• Commendation by the Chief Justice of India for his leadership while serving as Collector of Ratnagiri
• Top ranking for the “Seva Karmi” initiative in Maharashtra
• Fifth rank in the state for E-Governance and Government Process Re-engineering (GPR) under the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s reform programme
These achievements highlight his contributions to administrative innovation and digital governance.
Recent Developments
In February 2026, Singh’s suspension was ordered following allegations that he failed to brief the environment minister during the Assembly session discussing pollution concerns in Chandrapur.
However, on March 10, 2026, Assembly Speaker Rahul Narwekar directed the state government to revoke the suspension, bringing an end to the brief disciplinary episode after deliberations involving senior ministers and the Chief Minister.
The development underscores the importance of coordination between government departments and legislative authorities during crucial policy discussions.
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