Kolkata, Jul 23 (PTI): The Centre on Thursday approved a six-month extension in service for West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal beyond his scheduled date of retirement on July 31, according to an official order.
The extension will take effect from August 1 and remain valid till January 31, 2027, following approval by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), a senior official said on Thursday.
The state government had forwarded a proposal to the Centre on July 15 seeking an extension for Agarwal, who assumed charge as the chief secretary on May 11 this year.
A senior state government official said the extension would ensure continuity in the administration at a time when several key policy decisions and developmental programmes are underway.
"The extension will provide administrative stability and help maintain continuity in governance. The chief secretary is overseeing a number of important government initiatives, and the decision will facilitate their smooth implementation," the senior bureaucrat said, requesting anonymity.
Agarwal, a 1990-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, was due to retire at the end of this month.
An engineering graduate, he began his administrative career as Additional District Magistrate in the then Burdwan district and has since held several key assignments in the state government.
During his career spanning over three decades, Agarwal has served as principal secretary in departments including Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Food and Supplies, and Fire and Emergency Services. He has also served as the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal, overseeing the conduct of elections in the state.
The officials said Agarwal has been closely involved in coordinating inter-departmental governance, implementation of flagship welfare schemes and administrative reforms since taking over as the state's top bureaucrat in May. PTI SCH APL APL APL
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