Ex-NHAI chief appointed as new U'khand chief secy

Former National Highways Authority of India chief Sukhvir Singh Sandhu was on Monday appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand.

Former National Highways Authority of India chief Sukhvir Singh Sandhu was on Monday appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Uttarakhand. Sandhu, who belongs to the 1988 Uttarakhand Cadre (Cadre) of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) was relieved by the central government-appointed department for his native state Uttarakhand on Monday.

As per the letter signed by Srinivas R. Ratikithala, Secretary, Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet, Sandhu was transferred to his original cadre at the request of the State Government. "The Competent Authority has approved the repatriation of Shri Sukhbir Singh Saadhn. 1AS (UK:88), Chairman, National Highways Authority of India, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to his parent cadre on the request of the State Government of Uttarakhand," read the letter.

This comes a day after BJP leader Pushkar Singh Dhami was sworn in as the 11th chief minister of Uttarakhand, here on Sunday, a day after being elected as the leader of the BJP legislature party. Along with Dhami, 11 BJP legislators also took oath as the state cabinet ministers at the ceremony.

The two-time MLA from Khatima constituency has never been a minister in the state government but became the youngest chief minister of Uttarakhand on Sunday. He is the third chief minister of the state in nearly four months. (ANI)