UP Govt Appoints Varanasi Divisional Commissioner As First Head Of Religious Affairs Directorate

The senior IAS officer’s appointment as the DRA director comes nearly six months after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Cabinet approved a proposal to set up the directorate.

UP Chief Minister - Yogi Adityanath | File Image

Varanasi: Varanasi Divisional Commissioner Deepak Agarwal has been appointed the first director of the Directorate of Religious Affairs (DRA) headquartered in the holy city.

“Varanasi Divisional Commissioner Deepak Agarwal has been appointed the first director of the directorate of religious affairs, headquartered in Varanasi,” IANS tweeted.

The senior IAS officer’s appointment as the DRA director comes nearly six months after Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led Cabinet approved a proposal to set up the directorate.

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The appointment will pave way for setting up the DRA’s infrastructure besides recruiting staff for the body.

Earlier on December 11 last year, the state cabinet approved the proposal to set up the Directorate of Religious Affairs (DRA) [‘Dharmarth Karya Vibhag’] to ease administrative functioning in promoting religious sites as tourism hubs.

The DRA headquarters, as per the state cabinet’s decision, would be established with the help of the Kashi Vishwanath Special Area Development Board (KVSADB).

The sub-office of the DRA would be set up at the Kailash Mansarovar office building in Ghaziabad.