STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: Dheeraj Gupta, the 1993-batch IAS officer and alumnus of IIT Kanpur, took over on Monday as the Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister, J&K.
Gupta’s key task will be to coordinate on matters of administration between the Chief Secretary and the office of Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, where he will be liaisoning with the Principal Secretary to the Lt Governor. It will be a crucial test of Gupta’s bureaucratic acumen as Jammu and Kashmir transitions towards the first elected government after a gap of ten years.
Gupta carries with him a wide range of experience which includes working in the Prime Minister’s Office, NITI Ayog, and Defence Ministry, in addition to key positions in the administration in Jammu and Kashmir.
The officer is well known for his integrity, understanding, and balanced and deft handling of complex issues which were acknowledged by him being a recipient of “Lt Governor’s Award for Honesty, Integrity and Meritorious Public Services” in recognition of his outstanding contribution to public services.
His portfolio of works in Jammu and Kashmir include Power, Housing & Urban Development, Forest & Environment, Revenue, Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management departments. During his career, Gupta served as Deputy Commissioner of Baramulla & Leh Districts, CEO of Sh Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and Addl CEO of Sh Amarnathji Shrine Board.
Gupta was the first Commissioner/Secretary of the Relief, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Department that was created in the wake of the devastating floods of 2014. He laid a solid foundation for the new Department and negotiated and finalized the contours of the Jhelum & Tawi Flood Recovery Project with the World Bank.
In the centre, he handled the transition management from Planning Commission to NITI Aayog; Restructuring of the Planning Commission, and developing the blueprint of the new Secretariat to enable the Aayog to fulfil its mandate.
The officer is also a recipient of the Chief of Army Staff’s Gold Medal for the synergy that he had brought about among the civilians, administration and the army during his tenure as Deputy Commissioner of the then militancy ridden Baramulla.
Meanwhile, Dawanjeet Singh, Administrative Officer has been transferred from the Office of Forest Protection Force, J&K and posted as Additional Private Secretary with Deputy Chief Minister.
