Considered close to CM Yogi Adityanath, Manoj Kumar Singh appointed UP chief secretary

Manoj Kumar Singh, who hails from Ranchi in Jharkhand, is the most senior officer at the secretariat after the chief secretary. He has held significant positions in the government, including the top two posts after that of the chief secretary. These include the Infrastructure and Industrial Development commissioner, Agriculture Production commissioner, additional chief secretary for Panchayati Raj, chief executive officer of Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority and Uttar Pradesh State Highway Authority. Sources said that, apart from the chief secretary post, he is likely to retain additional charge of some of the existing posts for some time.

Singh is considered a soft-spoken but straightforward officer. He is due to retire in August next year and has held several significant posts in different governments. These include heading the departments of Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, and Tourism in the past.

He previously served as district magistrate in districts such as Gautam Buddha Nagar, Pilibhit, Moradabad, Aligarh, and Lalitpur. Additionally, he briefly served as CEO of NOIDA in 2010.

In the Uttar Pradesh bureaucracy, he is seen as close to CM Adityanath, and many believe that his appointment reflects Adityanath’s influence in selecting the chief secretary.

Last year, when reports of alleged anomalies in transfers and postings had rocked the Adityanath government, the chief minister initiated a “high-level” inquiry led by Singh into the allegations, especially within the Public Works Department, which minister Jitin Prasada then headed.

According to sources, up to five officials, including the head of PWD, chief eManoj Kumar Gupta, were suspended for irregularities in transfers. This action followed Singh’s report, in which he reportedly made recommendations to prevent such instances in the future.

As the Infrastructure and Industrial Development commissioner, he was recognised for the success of the Global Investor Summit 2023 in Uttar Pradesh. The government claimed to have received over Rs 40 lakh crore worth of investment proposals, revised investment-centric policies and arranged road shows featuring officials and ministers to different states and countries for invitations.