30 IAS officers transferred in UP

The social welfare department, last week, had stirred a row after it issued an order to include 17 MBC categories in the state in SC list, while quoting a 2017 interim order by Allahabad High Court on the Akhilesh government's announcement on these castes. However, the order was later termed as illegal by the Centre.

IMAGE: PTI

Lucknow: In a major administrative reshuffle, the Uttar Pradesh government transferred 30 IAS officers including the social welfare Director, Chief Minister's Secretary and PWD Special Secretary. The development happened close to midnight on Friday. The social welfare department, last week, had stirred a row after it issued an order to include 17 MBC categories in the state in SC list, while quoting a 2017 interim order by Allahabad High Court on the Akhilesh government's announcement on these castes. However, the order was later termed as illegal by the Centre. The post was left vacant on Friday after the state government sent the incumbent Director Jagdish Prasad to SIDCO (State Construction and Infrastructure Development Corporation) as Director. In other transfers, the government elevated Director (information) Shishir Singh as Special Secretary and Culture and Hindi Publicity Director. Singh had played a crucial role along with Principal Secretary, information and publicity, Awanish Awasthi in coordinating, highlighting and promoting government's key programmes. Chief Minister's Secretary Manish Chauhan, a 2000 batch IAS, has been sent to sugarcane department as Commissioner. PWD Special Secretary Rahul Pandey has been made Vice-Chairman of Varanasi Development Authority. Several IAS officers, who had been awaiting posting orders, were accommodated in Friday transfers. Vikas Gothwal, a 2003 batch IAS, has been made Urban Development Secretary. The government also rewarded Vijay Kiran Anand, who was Kumbh Mela affairs in-charge -- a post specially created during the fair -- with a plum posting with multiple portfolios as Special Secretary (basic education), state Sarv Shiksha Abhiyan Director and Director midday meal programme. Anand, a 2009 batch IAS, comes from Karnataka. Isha Duhan, a 2014 batch IAS, will take charge in Meerut as the Chief Development Officer and has been shifted from Bulandhshahr where she was working in the same capacity. Akash Deep, a 2005 batch IAS and Mission Director, Swachh Bharat Mission (Rural), has been brought to finance department as Special Secretary.