Punjab gets new Chief Secretary; KAP Sinha replaces Anurag Verma

Punjab Government on Wednesday changed the Chief Secretary of the state, replacing Anurag Verma with 1992 batch IAS officer K A P Sinha.

The change at the top level comes close on the heels of the other changes being made in the office of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, reportedly at the behest of the Aam Aadmi Party high command.

Four of the CMs aides have already been asked to resign/submitted their resignation, including one who was removed.

Though no immediate reason for the change in the top administrative post of the state was given, sources say that the party high command was not “happy with the delays in rolling out of the government schemes and decisions being delayed”.

Last week, the outgoing Chief Secretary Verma was reportedly called to  Delhi for a meeting with the party top brass.

Sinha, who replaces Verma as CS, was presently posted as Special Chief Secretary, Revenue and Rehabilitation and Development- the two most important posts in the state.

He has worked as administrative head of various departments, including Finance and Food and Supplies, and is known for being a good decision maker. Sinha was senior to Verma, the latter being from the 1993 batch.

In the past two-and-half years, since the AAP government has assumed power in Punjab, Sinha is the fourth Chief Secretary of Punjab.