Uttar Pradesh Bureaucratic Shake-Up: CM Reshuffles 14 Senior IAS Officers to Strengthen Governance, Chief Secretary SP Goyal Stripped of Portfolios
By Tajdar H. Zaidi
Lucknow: In a dramatic turn of events in the power corridors of Uttar Pradesh, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has executed one of the most significant bureaucratic reshuffles in recent years, transferring 14 senior IAS officers and reorganizing several critical portfolios.
According to sources, the CM was dissatisfied with the functioning of certain top officials and, in his drive to make the state administration more effective, transparent, and robust, he moved decisively to realign responsibilities.
Chief Secretary SP Goyal Removed from Key Charges
The most striking change is the removal of Chief Secretary SP Goyal from all his portfolios. Until now, the Chief Secretary wielded substantial influence as the Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner (IIDC) and CEO of the Uttar Pradesh Development Authority (UPDA).
With this order, Goyal has been stripped of every departmental responsibility—an unusual step that has raised eyebrows within the administrative establishment.
Traditionally, the Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh is entrusted with several high-profile portfolios. However, this reshuffle signals a departure from convention, underscoring the CM’s message that accountability and efficiency will override bureaucratic norms.
Deepak Kumar Emerges as the Most Powerful Bureaucrat
The clear gainer from this shake-up is Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Finance, Deepak Kumar, a 1990-batch IAS officer, who has emerged as the most powerful figure in the state bureaucracy.
In a rare consolidation of authority, Kumar has been handed over responsibilities that were previously considered the exclusive domain of the Chief Secretary. His new roles include:
- Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner
- Chairman of the Public Infrastructure and Capital Knowledge Utilization Program (PICKUP)
- CEO of the Uttar Pradesh Expressway Industrial Development Authority (UPEIDA)
- Additional Chief Secretary, Coordination Department
- Project Director, Uttar Pradesh Development and Agricultural Services Program (UPDASP)
This degree of power concentration in one officer’s hands has not been witnessed in the last eight and a half years, marking a major shift in the state’s bureaucratic power balance.
Realignment of Other Senior IAS Officers
The reshuffle extended beyond Goyal and Kumar, with other key officers also being repositioned:
- Deepak Kumar, while taking on expanded responsibilities, has been relieved of his charge as ACS of the Basic and Secondary Education Department. He will now play a central role in agriculture and infrastructure-focused portfolios.
- Parthasarathi Sen Sharma, who had been serving as Principal Secretary of the Medical and Health Department since August 2022, has been reassigned as Principal Secretary of the Basic and Secondary Education Department. His transfer was anticipated, given his over three-year stint in the health sector.
CM’s Strong Message
According to insiders, the reshuffle reflects Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s dissatisfaction with the pace and effectiveness of governance in some key departments.
By curtailing the Chief Secretary’s authority and elevating officers he trusts, the CM has sent a clear signal that he expects greater accountability and performance from the bureaucracy.
The move also demonstrates his resolve to streamline decision-making and empower officers who can deliver on his vision of a stronger, more responsive administrative framework.
This reshuffle not only redraws the lines of bureaucratic authority but also highlights the CM’s determination to ensure that Uttar Pradesh’s governance apparatus works with speed, efficiency, and precision in line with his development agenda.
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