Vijai Vardhan is new Haryana chief secretary

The Haryana government on Wednesday appointed senior IAS officer Vijai Vardhan as the state's new chief secretary. He is due to retire in November 2021. Currently, Vardhan is the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Home, Jails, Criminal Investigation and Administration of Justice Department.

The Haryana government on Wednesday appointed senior IAS officer Vijai Vardhan as the state's new chief secretary. Vardhan, 58, replaces Keshni Anand Arora, who retired on September 30, an official order said.

He will be the 34th chief secretary of Haryana since it was carved out as a separate state in 1966. The 1985-batch Haryana cadre IAS officer will also hold the charge of general administration, personnel, training, parliamentary affairs, vigilance and administrative reforms departments and secretary in-charge of plan coordination, the order said. He is due to retire in November 2021.

Currently, Vardhan is the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Home, Jails, Criminal Investigation and Administration of Justice Department. He was also the Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management; and Consolidation Departments. The Haryana government on Wednesday also effected the transfer of five other IAS officers.

Among those shuffled include Rajeev Arora, ACS, Health. He will be the new Home Secretary. Sanjeev Kaushal, ACS, Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Department, has been posted as the ACS and Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Disaster Management and Consolidation Departments; and the ACS, Cooperation Department, relieving Vijai Vardhan of the charge.