Kolkata: The tenure of BP Gopalika as Chief Secretary of West Bengal has come to an end after weeks of speculation. Despite discussions in administrative circles about a possible three-month extension, the central government rejected the state’s proposal. This decision prompted the West Bengal state secretariat, Nabanna, to announce the appointment of Manoj Pant as the new Chief Secretary on Saturday.
Manoj Pant, a 1991 batch IAS officer, officially took over the role from BP Gopalika following the publication of the notification, which had received the governor’s approval. Gopalika’s extended tenure concluded on Saturday, marking the end of his three-month extension period that began after his original retirement date. The extension had positioned him to serve during a critical time, coinciding with the lead-up to the Lok Sabha elections.
According to sources, the state government had sent a request to Delhi to extend Gopalika’s tenure by another three months, but the proposal was not approved. Consequently, Manoj Pant was appointed as the new Chief Secretary.
Manoj Pant, who hails from Uttarakhand, has an extensive background in administration. After earning his Master’s degree in Geology, Pant passed the UPSC examination and became an IAS officer in 1991. His career began as the SDM of Purba Medinipur, and he later served as the District Magistrate of Murshidabad and North 24 Parganas.
In 2009, Pant was appointed as Private Secretary to the then Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, a position he held until October 2011. He later worked as an economic adviser at the World Bank headquarters in Washington before returning to West Bengal in 2014, where he served as Joint Secretary in the Department of Biotechnology.
Most recently, Pant served as the Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department for nearly two years. On Friday, August 30, he was reassigned as Secretary of the Irrigation and Water Resources Department. Just a day later, on Saturday, he was appointed as the Chief Secretary of West Bengal, taking over from Gopalika in a formal handover ceremony at Nabanna.
Pant’s appointment comes at a crucial time for the state, as West Bengal prepares for the upcoming electoral season, and his leadership will be closely watched in the months ahead.
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