India, July 24 -- Senior IAS officer Ashok Kumar Barnwal on Thursday took over as the 36th Chief Secretary of Madhya Pradesh. Outgoing CS Anurag Jain formally handed over the charge to him in the Chief Secretary's chamber at the state secretariat. Barnwal, a 1991-batch officer of the Indian Administrative Service (MP cadre), was appointed to the top bureaucratic post following orders issued by the General Administration Department (GAD) on Wednesday. The development came on the same day the Government of India appointed Anurag Jain as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NITI Aayog. A highly experienced administrator, Barnwal was previously serving as Additional Chief Secretary in the Public Health and Medical Education Department. He has held several important portfolios during his career, including additional responsibilities in the Forest, Agriculture, and Environment departments.
An alumnus of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, where he graduated in Mining Engineering, Barnwal brings with him over three decades of administrative experience across diverse sectors. His appointment has been viewed positively in bureaucratic circles for his proven track record in policy implementation. In a smooth transition, Jain, who steered the state administration for nearly one and three-fourths years, wished Barnwal success in his new role. The change at the top of the bureaucracy comes as the Mohan Yadav government continues to push key developmental and welfare initiatives across the state.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.