Chandigarh Chief Secretary Rajeev Verma shifted to Delhi

An order by the Government of India said, “With the approval of the Competent Authority, Rajeev Verma, IAS (AGMUT: 1992) is hereby transferred from Chandigarh to Delhi and posted as Chief Secretary, GNCTD w.e.f. 01.10.2025 or from the date of joining whichever is later.”

Verma, a 1992 batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, was the Chief Secretary of Puducherry before being transferred as the new Chandigarh Adviser.

Hailing from Uttar Pradesh, Verma has done MTech in computer science.

Earlier, the Adviser’s post had been lying vacant since October 31, 2024, after voluntary retirement of the then Adviser Dharam Pal. Later, the post of Adviser was redesignated as Chief Secretary.

Prior to the Puducherry posting in 2022, Verma was Principal Secretary and Commissioner Finance in New Delhi. He had remained Joint Secretary (Defence) from 2013 to 2017 and been the chairman and MD, Jt Secretary Transport, from 2012 to 2013.

He has wide experience as he has also dealt with the departments of sports and health while being the Joint Secretary and has also had the portfolio of Secretary (Power) in Goa and other areas.

In Chandigarh, Verma mostly remained low profile. Upon his joining, initially, he met media persons in a group interaction just once.
Upon joining, Verma had said that there was a need to implement an effective anti-bribery management system “which supports a working culture based on transparency and integrity”.

Transferred before completion of term

In 2021, Chandigarh Adviser Manoj Parida was transferred and posted out to Delhi before completion of his term. Parida, a 1986 batch AGMUT cadre IAS officer, was transferred just six months before he was to retire. His term was not due for ending as he had come only on December 26, 2018. He had replaced the then Adviser Parimal Rai, who was sent as Chief Secretary to Goa.