Kolkata, June 30 (IANS) The West Bengal government, on Monday, announced the extension of Manoj Pant as the Chief Secretary for another six months following approval from the Union government.

Pant was supposed to retire from his service on Monday (June 30).

The state government seeking to retain him in that chair for another six months already sought approval on this count from the Union government a few days back.

On Monday, the office of the principal secretary to the Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee received a communication from the Department of Personnel & Training (DOPT) under the Union Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pension, which is the cadre-control authority of the central service officers, that the state government’s proposal for Pant’s extension for another six months was approved.

After receiving the communication from the Union government, the state secretariat issued the notification for the extension of Pant. With this extension, the last day of Pant in the chair of the Chief Secretary will be December 31.

Pant took over the chair of Chief Secretary on August 31 this year and succeeded his predecessor B.P. Gopalika. The state government also sought a six-month extension for Gopalika, which was not approved by the Union government.

Pant had earlier served in important positions both in the Union and West Bengal governments. He is a 1999-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer. At the time of taking over as the Chief Secretary last year, he was the additional chief secretary to the state irrigation department and before that, he was the state finance secretary.

He took over as the Chief Secretary at a crucial time when the state government and the ruling dispensation were going through one of its most challenging moments because of multiple issues like R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital rape and murder case and innumerable cases of corruption, among others.

–IANS

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