Himachal: Senior IAS officer Kamlesh Kumar Pant given additional charge of Chief Secretary
Shimla, June 1
The Himachal Pradesh government on Monday entrusted senior IAS officer Kamlesh Kumar Pant with the additional charge of Chief Secretary to the state government with immediate effect.
According to an official notification issued by the Department of Personnel, Himachal Pradesh Governor ordered the appointment in the public interest.
The notification stated, "The Governor, Himachal Pradesh, is pleased to order that Kamlesh Kumar Pant, IAS (HP:1993), Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue)-cum-Financial Commissioner (Revenue), Additional Chief Secretary (Forest, Home and Vigilance) and Chairman, Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board, Shimla, shall hold the additional charge of the post of Chief Secretary to the Government of Himachal Pradesh, with immediate effect, in addition to his own duties."
The order was issued by M Sudha Devi, Secretary (Personnel) to the Himachal Pradesh government.
Pant, a 1993-batch IAS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, currently holds several key assignments in the state administration, including Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue)-cum-Financial Commissioner (Revenue), Additional Chief Secretary (Forest, Home and Vigilance), and Chairman of the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board.
Last month, Kamlesh Kumar Pant was relieved of the charge as Financial Commissioner (Appeals), as IAS officer R Selvam, who was awaiting posting, replaced him in Shimla.
Kamlesh Kumar Pant had succeeded Sanjay Gupta, who came under the scanner in the controversial Chester Hills land case marked by RERA notices and allegations of environmental violations.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist), last month, demanded Gupta's immediate removal and registration of an FIR, alleging misuse of authority and corruption. In April, the Himachal Pradesh High Court had put a stay on a key portion of his order passed despite an alleged lack of jurisdiction under the Municipal Act, in a petition filed by the Municipal Corporation of Solan.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Another senior IAS getting additional charge! The pattern is worrying - one person holding multiple key posts (Revenue, Forests, Home) and now Chief Secretary too. How can one person effectively manage all these? We need a proper succession plan, not these temporary arrangements that stretch officials thin.
'Public interest' - the magic words! But what about Sanjay Gupta's exit? He was handling the Chester Hills case and now he's removed. Coincidence? I think not. The state needs to address corruption allegations transparently, not just move officers around like chess pieces.
Hope Mr. Pant uses his experience from the Pollution Control Board to address Himachal's growing environmental issues. We can't have development at the cost of our forests. But we also need a permanent Chief Secretary soon - these additional charges create confusion in administration.
The same old story - IAS officers getting multiple charges. In a state like Himachal with issues of deforestation, landslides, tourism management, and corruption in land deals, we need focused attention. Additional charge of Chief Secretary means less time for existing responsibilities. Not ideal.
Kamlesh Pant is a 1993 batch officer - that's 30+ years of experience. Let's give him a chance before judging. The Chester Hills case was mishandled under Gupta, so maybe this change is needed. But I'd like to see how he balances all these portfolios in a challenging state.
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