Khattar’s aide Yogender gets charge of principal secy, sports

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government on Wednesday appointed Indian Revenue Service (IRS) Yogender Chaudhary as principal secretary, sports and youth affairs, replacing Indian Police Service (IPS) officer OP Singh.

Chaudhary, who was recently appointed as additional principal secretary to chief minister, will continue to hold the charge of the CM’S aide. among Khattar’s aides.

As the additional principal secretary to the CM, he was allocated rather modest art and cultural affairs, social justice, welfare of SCS and BCS, mines and geology departments in the chief minister’s office.

He was also asked to look after matters related to resource mobilisation, except the finance department, and also perform as project director of ‘Drug Free Haryana Mission’.

IPS officer OP Singh, who will continue as special officer (community policing and outreach) in the chief minister’s office, remained posted as principal secretary, sports for less than two months.

While the posting of an IPS officer as principal secretary, sports and youth affairs (a cadre post of IAS officers) was being seen as defective in bureaucratic circles, the same holds true for the posting of a IRS officer to a cadre post of IAS officers. In fact, senior IAS officer Ashok Khemka had flagged the issue and written to the CM that only a cadre officer can occupy a cadre post. A cadre post means any of the post specified for each cadre in the schedule to the Indian Administrative Service (Fixation of Cadre Strength) Regulations, 1955.

Additional chief secretary, power, TC Gupta was given the additional charge of housing department while principal secretary, sainik and ardh sainik welfare department, Raja Sekhar Vundru was given the additional charge of animal husbandry and dairying.

Excise and taxation commissioner Shekhar Vidyarthi was given the additional charge of director, environment, replacing Hardeep Singh who was posted as managing director of Haryana Medical Services Corporation.