UP govt shifts 20 IAS officers

Lucknow: In the first major administrative reshuffle after taking oath of office on March 19, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath transferred 20 IAS officers today. All the senior IAS officers considered close to the previous Akhilesh Yadav regime have been removed and kept in waiting for posting. Official sources here said Avneesh Kumar Awasthi on his return from deputation to the Centre and was widely believed would take over as the Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, has been posted as Principal Secretary Information, Endowment department, Director General, Tourism and Chief Executive Officer of UP Expressway Development Authority.

Mrityunjay Kumar Narayan, Commissioner, Excise, will be the Secretary to the Chief Minister. He will also hold the charge of Estate department, Civil Aviation, and Director, Cultural Affairs along with the charge of Commissioner, Excise. The officers close to the previous Samajwadi Party regime and kept in waiting are Ms Anita Singh who was Principal Secretary to the former chief minister and also Principal Secretary of Estate Department and Excise department. Navneet Kumar Sehgal, Principal Secretary, Information; Vijay Kumar Yadav, Vice-Chairman of Ghaziabad Development Authority and Dr Hariom, Secretary and Director, Cultural Affairs have also been kept in waiting.