Sinha new Chief Secretary

The Aam Aadmi Party government in Punjab today changed the Chief Secretary, replacing Anurag Verma with 1992-batch IAS officer KAP Sinha.

The change at the top level comes close on the heels of other changes being made in the office of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, reportedly at the behest of the party high command. Four aides of the CM have already been asked to resign or have submitted their resignation, including one who was removed. A close aide of AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal — Bibhav Kumar — is also likely to join the CM’s office soon.

Ever since Kejriwal has been released on bail, he has been taking stock of the situation in Punjab. With an aim to showcase the Punjab model in the upcoming Delhi poll, which is crucial for AAP, he reportedly wants to get development works moving in Punjab.

Though no immediate reason for the change in the top administrative post of the state was given, sources said the party high command was not “happy with delays in rolling out of government schemes and decisions.”

Last week, outgoing Chief Secretary Verma was reportedly called to Delhi for a meeting with the party top brass. The sources told The Tribune that a number of ministers and MLAs expressed displeasure with Verma when they were called for a review of the performance of the government by the party top brass. The review meetings have been going on since October 5.

Sinha, who has replaced Verma as the Chief Secretary, was posted as Special Chief Secretary, Revenue and Rehabilitation, and Development — the two most important posts in the state after the Chief Secretary. He has worked as the administrative head of various departments.