Lucknow, July 31 (IANS) Ending weeks of speculation, the Uttar Pradesh Government has appointed 1989-batch IAS officer Shashi Prakash Goyal as the new Chief Secretary of the state. Goyal formally assumed charge after reaching the secretariat on Thursday evening. Outgoing Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Singh, whose tenure officially ends today, was present during the handover along with other senior officials.

The appointment brings clarity after days of uncertainty, especially as the state government had written to the Centre in early July, seeking a one-year extension for Singh. However, unlike his predecessors Anup Chandra Pandey and Durga Shankar Mishra — both of whom had received extensions from the Centre — Singh’s request was not approved.

Goyal’s name had been in circulation for the past few days, and the formal announcement brought an end to the bureaucratic suspense that had gripped the state.

Until now, he had been serving as Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. He is widely regarded as one of the CM’s most trusted officers and has played a key role in the Chief Minister's Office since the beginning of Yogi's first term.

During his tenure as Additional Chief Secretary, Goyal held important portfolios, including Civil Aviation, State Property, and Protocol. Now, as Chief Secretary, he has also been entrusted with major roles such as Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner (IIDC), Additional Chief Secretary Coordination Department, Chairman of PICUP, CEO of UPEIDA and UPSHA, and Director of UPDASP.

Meanwhile, the additional charge of Civil Aviation and State Property has been handed over to Principal Secretary (Home and Information) Sanjay Prasad.

The state's bureaucratic machinery had remained on edge throughout Thursday, awaiting a last-minute nod from the Centre, as was the case in previous instances. With no communication received by evening, the government appointed Goyal.

--IANS

brt/rad