Guwahati, Aug. 30 -- Manipur is set to have its fifth chief secretary in three years since the outbreak of ethnic conflict in May 2023, with the state government preparing for a change at the top bureaucratic post.

Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Saturday hosted Chief Secretary Puneet Goel, who is due to retire from service this month. Goel assumed charge as Manipur's chief secretary on July 21, 2025.

Although the government has not yet officially announced Goel's successor, people familiar with the matter said Rajeev Singh Thakur, a 1995-batch IAS officer, is likely to be appointed to the post.

Thakur is currently serving as programme director for administration, governance and reforms and infrastructure connectivity at NITI ...