Rahul Prasad Bhatnagar replaces Deepak Singhal as Uttar Pradesh's new Chief Secretary

Rahul Prasad Bhatnagar replaced Deepak Singhal as Uttar Pradesh's new Chief Secretary on 13 September, two months after the latter took charge.

The move comes a day after UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav dismissed Mining Minister Gayatri Prajapati and Panchayati Raj Minister Raj Kishor Singh from the cabinet, reportedly over charges on corruption.

Singhal, who is considered to be close to Cabinet Minister Shivpal Singh Yadav, took charge as Chief Secretary on 6 July this year.

In a statement issued after his appointment was formalised by the state government, Bhatnagar said: "The chief minister has given me this new responsibility. It will be my endeavour to meet the challenges associated with this responsibility. It will be my endeavour to ensure a good future for the people of Uttar Pradesh; that we have good infrastructure in place to ensure the overall development of the state and that we have a good environment to ensure all works in the state are carried out."

Singhal, who replaced 1978 batch officer Alok Ranjan, who retired on 30 June after a three-month extension of service, has been placed on compulsory wait for his next posting as an officer of the state government, media reports said.

When he became chief secretary, Singhal had superseded at least five other officers senior to him in the civil services, to bag the top job.

--With ANI inputs