Finance Secretary Ajoy Sinha relieved, Chandigarh Administration re-allocates depts

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 1

The UT Administration re-allocated the departments held by Finance Secretary Ajoy Kumar Sinha and Special Secretary Harish Nayyar after the completion of their deputation with the Administration today.

However, seven officers have either been relieved or have retired in the recent past with no replacement.

Sarpreet Singh Gill had joined the UT Administration last month and was given the charge of Special Secretary (Health), besides other charges.

In March 2018, the Chairman of the Chandigarh Housing Board was relieved and the board has not got a replacement yet. In 2019-end, two senior officers -- Education Secretary and Transport Secretary -- retired and till date no replacements have been given. The departments are being looked after by other officers.

Recently, two senior police officers -- SSP (Law and Order) and DIG (Security and Traffic) -- were relieved without any replacement.

Sinha was holding the charge of 16 departments. Most of the departments under him have been given to Arun Kumar Gupta, Principal Secretary (Home), in addition to his existing departments. He will now head 21 departments, including Finance, Excise and Taxation, Planning and Estate. He has also been appointed the Chief Electoral Officer and Chief Administrator.

Meanwhile, UT Adviser Manoj Parida will be the Chairman of the Chandigarh Housing Board. Earlier, the charge was held by Sinha.

Deputy Commissioner Mandip Singh Brar has been given the additional charge of the Transport Department.

To find Sinha's replacement, the Administration had already sent a panel of three names of Punjab-cadre IAS officers to the Ministry of Home Affairs for approval.

UT Adviser Manoj Parida said they had taken up the matter with the Ministry of Home Affairs to get replacements at the earliest.

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