Punjab CM’s top aide VK Singh set to retire

The government has yet to find his replacement, creating a vacuum in the state bureaucracy. After the retirement of VK Singh’s predecessor, A Venu Prasad, in July last year, the government took until December to fill the vacancy, relying on existing officers in the interim.

Amid speculation that VK Singh might be given an extension, he had cleared all pending files from his office by Thursday.

Following his retirement, Tejveer Singh, a 1994-batch IAS officer, is reportedly in contention for the coveted post in the CMO. However, no official orders have been issued so far.

Before his repatriation to Punjab, VK Singh had been on deputation to the Centre since October 2017, serving as Secretary in the Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare under the Ministry of Defence.

VK Singh is three years senior to Chief Secretary Anurag Verma, a 1993-batch IAS officer, and two years senior to KAP Sinha, the incumbent Chief Secretary.

The Punjab government continues to grapple with a shortage of experienced officers in the administration. The state has two officers, Anirudh Tewari and Anurag Verma, who have previously served as Chief Secretaries. Tewari is currently posted at MGSIPA, while Verma now serves as Financial Commissioner (Revenue).

Anirudh Tewari, a 1990-batch officer, is set to retire on April 30, 2027. Other senior officers include Sarvjit Singh and Raji P Shrivastava, both from the 1992 batch. KAP Sinha, also from the 1992 batch, has already been appointed as Chief Secretary.