After his retirement on Thursday, Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan is all set to become the chief advisor to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Ranjan, who was given a three-month extension in service in March last had refused a second extension.
After his retirement, Agricultural Production Commissioner Praveer Kumar would officiate as the Chief Secretary till a final selection is made for the post.
Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav left for a five-day trip to Europe on Wednesday. The new Chief Secretary is likely to be named after the CM returns on July 4.
Sources said that Alok Ranjan is likely to be appointed as Chief Advisor to the CM. Ranjan would be monitoring developmental projects, including the CM's dream projects like lucknow Metro rail and Agra- lucknow Expressway.
Meanwhile, sources said that 1981 batch officer Praveer Kumar is one of the front runners for the top post. Others in the race are Principal Secretary Energy Sanjay Agarwal, Principal Secretary Irrigation Deepak Singhal and Chairman of Board of Revenue Anil Kumar Gupta. Another 1981 batch officer Anuj Kumar Bishnoi, presently Secretary in the Union ministry of Chemical and Fertilizer, has thrown his hat for the top bureaucratic post.
A 1978 batch officerm, Alok Ranjan was made Chief Secretary on May 31, 2014 by the SP government after the then Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani was removed in the aftermath of the 2014 lok Sabha polls.
