Pankaj Kumar appointed new chief secy of Gujarat

A native of Patna in Bihar, Pankaj Kumar is currently the Additional Chief Secretary of the Home Department.

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Gujarat Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar (File)

The state government on Friday appointed 1986-batch IAS officer Pankaj Kumar the new Chief Secretary of Gujarat. Kumar will replace Anil Mukim, whose current term ends later this month.

Kumar, a native of Patna in Bihar, is currently the additional chief secretary, Home Department. A notification issued by the General Administration department of the state government on Friday stated that Kumar will take over as the chief secretary with effect from August 31.

An 1985-batch IAS officer, Mukim was appointed chief secretary in November 2019. The government had given him a six-month extension in August 2020 and a second extension in February 2021.

Pankaj Kumar has been chosen over two IAS officials from the 1986 batch — Dr Rajiv Kumar Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary, industry and mines department, and Vipul Mitra, Additional Chief Secretary, panchayat, rural housing and rural development department.

Another IAS officer from same batch, Dr Guruprasad Mohapatra, former secretary to Government of India, Department of Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, had passed away due to Covid related complications in New Delhi in June 2021.

Kumar is a civil engineer and has held important positions in Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited, Gujarat Maritime Board, GSRTC and the revenue department.

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