Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary Alok Ranjan, considered close to Akhilesh Yadav, today retired and was appointed as the chief advisor to the Chief Minister and chairman of UP State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC), having status of a Cabinet minister.
Ranjan retired after his three-month extension period ended and handed over the charge to Agriculture Production Commissioner Praveer Kumar.
A 1978-batch IAS officer, Ranjan was appointed as the Chief Secretary on May 31, 2014, replacing Jawed Usmani.
His term ended on March 31, but was granted three-month extension after approval from Centre.
Ranjan has been appointed chief advisor to the Chief Minister and Chairman, UP State Industrial Development Corporation (UPSIDC), having status of a Cabinet minister, official sources said.
Ranjan, a trusted hand of the Chief Minister, is likely to take his new responsibility tomorrow.
Besides being an advisor to the Chief Minister, Ranjan would look after progress of important projects like Metro, Gomti River front development etc that are supposed to be completed later this year as Assembly elections are scheduled for 2017.
The appointment of new Chief Secretary will be finalised once Akhilesh Yadav returns from foreign tour with his family on July 4.
