Bihar cadre IAS officer appointed Private Secy to Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav
New Delhi, July 23
The Centre on Thursday approved the appointment of Bihar cadre IAS officer Prashanth Kumar as the Private Secretary to the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav.
The order issued by the Centre's Department of Personnel said that the appointment "at the level of Deputy Secretary is for a period of five years with effect from the date of assumption of the charge of the post or on co-terminus basis with the Minister or till he ceases to function as Private Secretary to the Minister or until further orders, whichever occurs at the earliest".
The Centre has asked the Bihar government to relieve the IAS officer, of the 2015 batch, of his duties immediately with instructions to take up the new assignment with the Union Minister.
The letter has been sent by the Department of Personnel to the Chief Secretary of Bihar Pratyaya Amrit.
On July 3, 2026, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change abruptly removed Union Minister Bhupender Yadav's Private Secretary, Assistant Private Secretary, and two Additional Private Secretaries.
Bhupender Yadav's Private Secretary Amar Singh, an IRS officer, was repatriated to his parent cadre in Department of Revenue on "administrative grounds" while the appointments of an Assistant Private Secretary and an Additional Private Secretary were terminated. The other Additional Private Secretary was "prematurely repatriated" to his parent cadre.
Shailesh Kumar Singh, the Additional Private Secretary, a Central Secretariat Service official, was prematurely repatriated to the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) while the services of Ayush Saran, the other Additional Private Secretary, who was a political appointee, was terminated with immediate effect.
Siddharth Yadav's appointment as Assistant Private Secretary in the Minister's office was also terminated with immediate effect shortly after the other dismissals.
While the Union government did not publicly disclose detailed reasons in the official orders, sources indicated that these aides had allegedly overstepped their briefs by acquiring significant decision-making powers.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The fact that the previous team was removed for "overstepping their briefs" is worrying. How does a private secretary end up with decision-making powers? The system needs clearer boundaries. Hope this new appointment fixes those issues. 🧐
Five-year term is quite long for a private secretary. I remember when such positions were shuffled more frequently. Prashanth Kumar must be a capable officer, but let's see if he can handle the environment portfolio—it's a hot-button issue these days with climate change and all.
I find it concerning that the government didn't give detailed reasons for the mass removal of staff. Transparency is key in a democracy. Also, a Bihar cadre officer for a central ministry? That's a big leap, but let's give him a chance. 🤞
It's interesting how the central government often pulls officers from state cadres. Prashanth Kumar might bring a fresh perspective from Bihar's experience. But the fact that the previous private secretary was an IRS officer makes me wonder: is this a pattern of favoring IAS over other services?
The abrupt sacking of four aides "on administrative grounds" sounds like there was serious mismanagement. I hope the Environment Ministry learns from this and ensures proper checks and balances. Bureaucratic accountability is essential, even for a minister's team. ⚖️
On paper, this looks routine—an IAS officer being posted as private secretary
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