Senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Anshu Prakash on Monday took charge as the Capital’s Chief Secretary, replacing M.M. Kutty following the latter’s transfer to the Union Finance Ministry as Additional Secretary last week.
“Mr. Prakash took charge as Delhi Chief Secretary today [on Monday],” an official confirmed.
Mr. Prakash, who belongs to the 1986-batch, takes over at a time when differences of opinion between the Delhi government and the bureaucracy over issues related to the administration of the Capital continue to be a matter of concern for both.
The IAS officer had worked with the Delhi government as Principle Secretary (Health) and also in the municipal corporation. He also served as Health Secretary in his previous postings in Arunachal Pradesh, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands administration.
Mr. Prakash’s predecessor had been at loggerheads with Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his Cabinet over many issues, including the Delhi Metro fare hike and de-silting of drains.
The Chief Minister had last month sought an explanation from Mr. Kutty over his absence from Lal Bahadur Shastri’s birth anniversary event organised by the AAP government, even as the Delhi government has alleged that files pertaining to their work are not shown to the Ministers concerned by the bureaucrats.
