Harsh Gupta is new HP Chief Secy
Tribune News Service

Shimla, July 28
The uncertainty over the appointment of the new Chief Secretary of Himachal Pradesh ended today, with Mr Harsh Gupta taking over charge of the post this afternoon.

The 58-year-old Gupta, (1966 batch IAS), who was Additional Chief Secretary, will continue to function as Chairman of the H.P. State Electricity Board and Secretary (Power).

He replaces Mr A.K. Goswami, who has been sent on deputation to the Centre as Director-General of the National Productivity Council.

The notification regarding the appointment of Mr Gupta was issued late in the afternoon.

In a bid to avoid any controversy, the Chief Minister, Mr P.K. Dhumal, who is currently in Delhi, is learnt to have made up his mind to appoint the seniormost bureaucrat as the Chief Secretary this morning and given approval for issuing the notification in favour of Mr Gupta. Earlier, Mr Dhumal was under pressure from various quarters to appoint Kanwar Shamsher Singh on the post as he was a local. But he is four steps junior to Mr Gupta.

Mr Gupta, who was appointed as Additional Chief Secretary in October, 2000, has a wide administrative experience at the Central and the state levels. He has served in three Central ministries — steel and mines, defence production and commerce. He was the first sole Executive Director of the prestigious India Trade Promotion Organisation.