West Bengal's Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle Ahead of Elections

The West Bengal government has reinstated Rajeev Kumar as the Director General of Police, replacing Sanjoy Mukherjee. Mukherjee has been assigned as the new DGP of the Fire and Emergency Services. Additionally, several key administrative positions have been reshuffled ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The West Bengal government on Monday reinstated Rajeev Kumar as the Director General of Police (DGP), replacing Sanjoy Mukherjee, according to an official statement.

Additionally, Kumar will retain his role as the Additional Chief Secretary in the Department of Information Technology and Electronics.

Sanjoy Mukherjee has been appointed as the new DGP of the Fire and Emergency Services.

In an earlier decision, the Election Commission had appointed Vivek Sahay as the DGP on March 18. However, Sahay was replaced by Mukherjee within 24 hours since Sahay was scheduled to retire on May 31, ahead of the conclusion of the elections on June 4.

Meanwhile, the state government named Abnindra Singh as the new Secretary of the Labour Department with additional responsibilities as Divisional Commissioner of the Burdwan Division. Barun Roy, the current Secretary of the Labour Department, was appointed as the Additional Principal Secretary of the Non-Conventional and Renewable Energy Department.

Rajesh Kumar was appointed as the new Secretary of the Environment Department with additional duties as Member Secretary of the Pollution Control Board. Roshni Sen, the current Secretary of the Environment Department, was made Chairman and MD of the West Bengal Industrial Development Corporation, besides serving as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Fisheries Department.

Chhoten Lama was appointed as the Principal Secretary of the North Bengal Development Department with additional responsibilities for the Tribal Development Department. Jagdish Prasad Meena was appointed as the new Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, also responsible for the Divisional Commissioner of Correctional Institution and Presidency Division.

Prabhat Kumar Mishra, the outgoing Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, was reassigned to the Irrigation Department. Ghulam Ali Ansari is the new Secretary of the Minority Development and Madrasa Education Department, with additional charges as the Additional Commissioner of Malda Division, said the official.