Frequent transfer of Chief Secretaries of Manipur Government
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Oinam Nabakishore Singh
Stability in leadership of an organization is considered to be a pre-requisite for its growth. In the corporate world, performance of a company is largely attributed to the leadership qualities of the top management. Change of top managerial post is accompanied by change of its share price in the capital market. When a person having required attributes of a successful manager is appointed in a company, it is seen to be a predictor of better performance in future, and consequently there will be rally of its stock in the market. Change in share price is reflection of the sentiment of the investors vis-a vis the future trajectory of the company under a new leadership.
After the outbreak of violence on the 3rd May, 2023, the then Chief Secretary, Dr Rajesh Kumar, 1988 batch IAS officer of Manipur cadre was transferred to an insignificant post of OSD to Chief Minister. His transfer was reckoned to be the result (read as punishment) of his failure to prevent the violence which rocked the State in a scale not seen before.
Without seeing the finding of the committee constituted by the Supreme Court to unearth the causes behind the violence, to fix responsibility for the failure to maintain public order in the state and recommendation to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future, it will be difficult to apportion blame among the important stakeholders.
Nevertheless, Dr Rajesh Kumar did not enjoy an enviable exit from service on superannuation. He, like other civil servants, had to end his career in ignominy though he might have done a lot of good work in other spheres. The prestige and pride of works done over many years of service is washed away by a unworthy work.
Dr Vineet Joshi, 1991 batch IAS officer of Manipur cadre was brought back to Manipur from Central deputation to replace Dr Rajesh Kumar as Chief Secretary of State Government in May, 2023 just after the violence went out of control. He speaks Manipuri very well, and he had worked with former Chief Minister, O Ibobi Singh as Commissioner of important departments of Planning and Finance. He gets along well with any Minister or colleague due to his amiable disposition. If one looks at the crisis gripping Manipur during his tenure of nearly two years from May, 2023 to December, 2024 as Chief Secretary of the State, achievements of the Govt were far from expectation.
The circumstances, hard stance of the two warring groups in the State, and more importantly the decisions of political executive at that time did not allow the Chief Secretary to do anything independently. He got bogged down by the prevailing power equation within the State, and with the Union Government. He himself sought departure from Manipur to join his family in Delhi in December, 2024.
On the 3rd January, 2025, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, an IAS officer of 1984 batch from Assam-Megha-laya cadre and former Union Home Secretary was sworn in as Governor of Manipur. He is perceived to be a confidante of Union Home Minister, Amit Shah. Having been Home Secretary of the Union for about four years, he brings with him a lot of knowledge and experience to help to steer the State on the right path. To help him do his job well, Prashant Kumar Singh, IAS officer of 1993 batch of Manipur cadre was called back from Central deputation to wear the hat of Chief Secretary of Manipur Government. Prior to his return to Manipur, PK Singh was heading the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy as Secretary of the Government of India, which is a high profile important economic Ministry.
That Ministry has a lot of work in many areas–manufacture of solar panels in the country, wind turbines, and hydrogen fuel cells, to meet the ever-increasing target of creating capacity in renewable energy for the country. In fact, India has been at the forefront of Paris Climate Convention of 2015 with milestones of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. PK Singh, perhaps against his will, was appointed by the Union Govt (though order is issued by the State Govt) to be the Chief Secretary of trouble-torn Manipur.
It was rumoured that the then Chief Minister, N Biren Singh was not keen to change Vineet Joshi and have PK Singh as Chief Secretary. It is an open secret that after the eruption of violence in May, 2023, the Union Government has been calling the shots in matters of important appointment to posts like Chief Secretary and Director General of Police. PK Singh having worked in Manipur and fluent in Manipuri confidently started his works with a lot of zeal and fervor. He visited relief camps and interacted with displaced people there. By and large, he was able to establish good rapport with people.
However, it appeared he sowed the seed of his own departure from the post of Chief Secretary by tightly controlling release of fund from exchequer during the closing financial year in March, 2025. Ministers, MLAs and contractors wait for release of fund, called chequedrawal authority in Government parlance, in March to clear liability. Such release of fund allows the economy of the State to be oiled through cash circulation. Non-release of fund was also a slap on the ex-Ministers of Manipur, which is hard to digest.
There was frequent transfers of IAS, MCS, and MFS officers by the Government. Such frequent transfer of officers holding key posts was considered to be unjustified. Many people assign motives to such transfers as transfers are effected in Manipur mostly through influence. Since Governor was new to the State, he is considered to be out of reach of people to ask for favours. The same is not true for PK Singh. Seeing some Manipuri friends and politicians in the office of Chief Secretary is interpreted negatively.
In the absence of Ministers, Chief Secretary is expected to communicate with the people especially in relation to the conflict. In the course of a function, PK Singh dared to announce a three-phase return of internally displaced persons to their home till December, 2025. This messaging created confusion among the people. Relocation of displaced people to the temporary shelters made of pre-fab was not the preferred rehabilitation, and as such announcement PK Singh was not received well.
The Union Government approved the inter-cadre deputation of 1991 batch IAS officer of Union Territory cadre, Puneet Kumar Goel to Manipur with the intention to assign him the post of Chief Secretary of Manipur. Consequently, PK Singh was transferred on deputation to the Central Government to hold the office of Secretary of National Commission of Tribals. It is mysterious as to why PK Singh was removed from the post of CS after six months. It is quite possible that he rubbed powerful people on the wrong side.
Is it good to have such frequent transfers of officers holding key post ? Stability is essential if a strategy is to be implemented in a State besieged by conflicting interests. When the reason behind change of Chief Secretary is posed to well-informed officers and academia, they reply that it is a political decision–political interest overweigh other considerations. People will have to pay the price for choosing a political party and politician during election. What we are facing is result of our own decision. It is imperative to act wisely if we want peace and stability. The writer is former Chief Secretary of Manipur Govt and a retired IAS officer
Stability in leadership of an organization is considered to be a pre-requisite for its growth. In the corporate world, performance of a company is largely attributed to the leadership qualities of the top management. Change of top managerial post is accompanied by change of its share price in the capital market. When a person having required attributes of a successful manager is appointed in a company, it is seen to be a predictor of better performance in future, and consequently there will be rally of its stock in the market. Change in share price is reflection of the sentiment of the investors vis-a vis the future trajectory of the company under a new leadership.
After the outbreak of violence on the 3rd May, 2023, the then Chief Secretary, Dr Rajesh Kumar, 1988 batch IAS officer of Manipur cadre was transferred to an insignificant post of OSD to Chief Minister. His transfer was reckoned to be the result (read as punishment) of his failure to prevent the violence which rocked the State in a scale not seen before.
Without seeing the finding of the committee constituted by the Supreme Court to unearth the causes behind the violence, to fix responsibility for the failure to maintain public order in the state and recommendation to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future, it will be difficult to apportion blame among the important stakeholders.
Nevertheless, Dr Rajesh Kumar did not enjoy an enviable exit from service on superannuation. He, like other civil servants, had to end his career in ignominy though he might have done a lot of good work in other spheres. The prestige and pride of works done over many years of service is washed away by a unworthy work.
Dr Vineet Joshi, 1991 batch IAS officer of Manipur cadre was brought back to Manipur from Central deputation to replace Dr Rajesh Kumar as Chief Secretary of State Government in May, 2023 just after the violence went out of control. He speaks Manipuri very well, and he had worked with former Chief Minister, O Ibobi Singh as Commissioner of important departments of Planning and Finance. He gets along well with any Minister or colleague due to his amiable disposition. If one looks at the crisis gripping Manipur during his tenure of nearly two years from May, 2023 to December, 2024 as Chief Secretary of the State, achievements of the Govt were far from expectation.
The circumstances, hard stance of the two warring groups in the State, and more importantly the decisions of political executive at that time did not allow the Chief Secretary to do anything independently. He got bogged down by the prevailing power equation within the State, and with the Union Government. He himself sought departure from Manipur to join his family in Delhi in December, 2024.
On the 3rd January, 2025, Ajay Kumar Bhalla, an IAS officer of 1984 batch from Assam-Megha-laya cadre and former Union Home Secretary was sworn in as Governor of Manipur. He is perceived to be a confidante of Union Home Minister, Amit Shah. Having been Home Secretary of the Union for about four years, he brings with him a lot of knowledge and experience to help to steer the State on the right path. To help him do his job well, Prashant Kumar Singh, IAS officer of 1993 batch of Manipur cadre was called back from Central deputation to wear the hat of Chief Secretary of Manipur Government. Prior to his return to Manipur, PK Singh was heading the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy as Secretary of the Government of India, which is a high profile important economic Ministry.
That Ministry has a lot of work in many areas–manufacture of solar panels in the country, wind turbines, and hydrogen fuel cells, to meet the ever-increasing target of creating capacity in renewable energy for the country. In fact, India has been at the forefront of Paris Climate Convention of 2015 with milestones of reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. PK Singh, perhaps against his will, was appointed by the Union Govt (though order is issued by the State Govt) to be the Chief Secretary of trouble-torn Manipur.
It was rumoured that the then Chief Minister, N Biren Singh was not keen to change Vineet Joshi and have PK Singh as Chief Secretary. It is an open secret that after the eruption of violence in May, 2023, the Union Government has been calling the shots in matters of important appointment to posts like Chief Secretary and Director General of Police. PK Singh having worked in Manipur and fluent in Manipuri confidently started his works with a lot of zeal and fervor. He visited relief camps and interacted with displaced people there. By and large, he was able to establish good rapport with people.
However, it appeared he sowed the seed of his own departure from the post of Chief Secretary by tightly controlling release of fund from exchequer during the closing financial year in March, 2025. Ministers, MLAs and contractors wait for release of fund, called chequedrawal authority in Government parlance, in March to clear liability. Such release of fund allows the economy of the State to be oiled through cash circulation. Non-release of fund was also a slap on the ex-Ministers of Manipur, which is hard to digest.
There was frequent transfers of IAS, MCS, and MFS officers by the Government. Such frequent transfer of officers holding key posts was considered to be unjustified. Many people assign motives to such transfers as transfers are effected in Manipur mostly through influence. Since Governor was new to the State, he is considered to be out of reach of people to ask for favours. The same is not true for PK Singh. Seeing some Manipuri friends and politicians in the office of Chief Secretary is interpreted negatively.
In the absence of Ministers, Chief Secretary is expected to communicate with the people especially in relation to the conflict. In the course of a function, PK Singh dared to announce a three-phase return of internally displaced persons to their home till December, 2025. This messaging created confusion among the people. Relocation of displaced people to the temporary shelters made of pre-fab was not the preferred rehabilitation, and as such announcement PK Singh was not received well.
The Union Government approved the inter-cadre deputation of 1991 batch IAS officer of Union Territory cadre, Puneet Kumar Goel to Manipur with the intention to assign him the post of Chief Secretary of Manipur. Consequently, PK Singh was transferred on deputation to the Central Government to hold the office of Secretary of National Commission of Tribals. It is mysterious as to why PK Singh was removed from the post of CS after six months. It is quite possible that he rubbed powerful people on the wrong side.
Is it good to have such frequent transfers of officers holding key post ? Stability is essential if a strategy is to be implemented in a State besieged by conflicting interests. When the reason behind change of Chief Secretary is posed to well-informed officers and academia, they reply that it is a political decision–political interest overweigh other considerations. People will have to pay the price for choosing a political party and politician during election. What we are facing is result of our own decision. It is imperative to act wisely if we want peace and stability. The writer is former Chief Secretary of Manipur Govt and a retired IAS officer