In the latest development, Alok Gupta has been posted as principal secretary in chief minister office.
The BJP government in Rajasthan has further strengthened the office of chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma by inducting yet another effective and efficient officer. Alok Gupta, a 1996-batch IAS officer has been transferred as principal secretary to chief minister. He was serving as principal secretary in energy department. On January 10, 2024, Gupta was transferred to principal secretary energy from administrative reforms department. Within a month, he was again transferred – this time to a more powerful position.
Soon another transfer list is expected as two important departments – energy and forest, environment and climate change – are lying vacant.
A couple of days back, additional chief secretary Shikhar Agrawal was transferred to chief minister office from forest environment and climate change department.
Now the chief minsiter office has four full fledged IAS officers – all with good credentials.
Sandesh Nayak, was the first to be posted as special secretary to CM and then Sidharth Sihag is there as joint secretary.
Alok Gupta is considered a silent worker with high calibre. A post graduate from IIT, Gupta has been collector of four districts including Dungarpur, Jhunjhunu, Bikaner and Nagaur. He is known to be a compassionate officer and has introduced several innovations at district level to alleviate problems of public.
At senior level, Alok Gupta has served as commissioner commercial tax, principal secretary in tourism and department of information technology and communication.
Ever since the Bhajan Lal government has into power, there was speculation of Alok Gupta being inducted in CMO. The BuckStopper was the first to indicate that a 1996 batch IAS may be called for the top job.
How work will be distributed between the two
Senior officers are curious about distribution of work in chief minister officer. With two efficient officers at the helm – Alok Gupta and Shikhar Agrawal – officers are debating on the roles of these two officers and how power balancing can be done for effective delivery.
The BuckStopper, run by a group of seasoned journalists, holds the powerful accountable. The buck stops with them, as they cannot shrug off their official responsibilities.
[…] Alok Gupta, who has recently been appointed as principal secretary to chief minister has been given additional charge of key portfolios – chairman Rajasthan Renewable Energy Corporation (RREC) and principal secretary DIPR. […]