In a significant administrative reshuffle, 1989 batch IAS officer of AGMUT cadre, Mr Dharmendra has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of Delhi.
Mr Dharmendra, who has been serving as the Chief Secretary of Arunachal Pradesh since April 2022, will now take over the top administrative position in the national capital.
“With the approval of the Competent Authority, Sh. Dharmendra, IAS (AGMUT:1989) is hereby transferred from Arunachal Pradesh to Delhi and posted as Chief Secretary, GNCTD w.e.f.01.09.2024 or with effect from the date of joining, whichever is later,” said an order dated August 31, issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
This appointment follows the recent elevation of Govind Mohan to the role of Union Home Secretary.
A civil engineer by training, Dharmendra has been serving as chief secretary of Arunachal Pradesh since April 2022 and takes over from Naresh Kumar, a 1987-batch IAS officer of the AGMUT cadre. Kumar was consistently at loggerheads with the AAP government in Delhi during his two-year tenure as chief secretary. His tenure, which began in April 2022 and was extended twice by the Centre, ends on August 31.
Mr Dharmendra had earlier served as the divisional commissioner of Delhi, and has worked in the urban development department, Delhi municipal corporation and has also served in the New Delhi Municipal Council, besides serving in different positions under the central government.
His appointment comes at a time when the bureaucracy has a strained relationship with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in Delhi and several senior officers have had a run-in with the ministers over a range of issues such as waterlogging, de-silting of drains, felling of trees in south Delhi, vacancy of doctors and paramedical staff in the Delhi government hospitals.
Sources said that Dharmendra was one of three senior IAS officers recommended by former Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla for the position of Delhi Chief Secretary before Bhalla’s retirement earlier this month.
Dharmendra has held various significant positions in Delhi, including Divisional Commissioner and Revenue Secretary, Chairperson of the NDMC, and Deputy Commissioner for both North West and East Delhi. Additionally, he has served as Secretary for the Departments of Industries, Environment, and Irrigation and Flood Control.
Dharmendra’s extensive experience and previous service in Delhi’s administrative framework are expected to play a pivotal role in navigating these ongoing challenges and fostering improved relations between the bureaucracy and the Delhi government.
