Sanjay Prasad, Principal Secretary to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has now been given the additional charge of Home and Information departments. Here’s all you need to know about him.
The post of Chief Secretary or Director General of Police is considered to be the most significant in a state, but according to the governance agenda of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, ‘Home’ and ‘Information’ are the most important posts and the one who gets them becomes the most powerful bureaucrat..
On the morning of September 1, there was a sudden big change in the UP bureaucracy. Many important officials were changed in UP’s Team 9. But one crucial thing that appeared in this change was that Sanjay Prasad, Principal Secretary to the chief minister, emerged as the most powerful bureaucrat. Awanish Awasthi had the same post from 2017 to 2022 and was CM Yogi’s most powerful bureaucrat. Now, Sanjay Prasad will have that stature.
For almost three years, Sanjay Prasad has been the Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and has also been looking after the responsibilities of the CMO. Not only this, he has also been Secretary, Information.
Sanjay Prasad is one of the most trusted officers of CM Yogi Adityanath. The 1995-batch IAS officer hails from Bihar.
Sanjay Prasad is considered a data man
Sanjay Prasad’s speciality is that he has mastered the data. If any document has to be sent with data to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, then it goes through Sanjay Prasad.
If an officer is present around Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath like a shadow, he is Sanjay Prasad. Whether it is the chief minister’s residence or his office in Lok Bhavan or the CM’s visits, Sanjay Prasad is with him, on the go.
anjay Prasad was closest to Yogi Adityanath amidst the terrible Covid situation, whether it was government visits or political trips. Sanjay Prasad was always seen with the chief minister as his principal secretary.
When Navneet Sehgal was made ACS Information, he was the eyes and ears of the Chief Minister’s Office as Secretary in the Information Department.
Now that Sanjay Prasad has been made the Principal Secretary of both Home and Information, it is believed that he has also been given Awanish Awasthi-like powers by the Chief Minister.
Sanjay Prasad is a fitness freak
Sanjay Prasad’s fitness is the most essential thing in his routine. Walking several kilometres every morning is one of his habits. Despite his busy schedule, Sanjay Prasad does not break his fitness rules.
Awanish Awasthi retired on August 31 and on September 1, there was a major change in the bureaucracy of Uttar Pradesh.
Navneet Sehgal, who was one of the powerful bureaucrats of UP, was suddenly sidelined, at least for the time being. The ACS Information and MSMEs has been appointed ACS, Sports Department.
The change is not only at the level of Navneet Sehgal, but ACS Amit Mohan Prasad has also been removed from Health and given the charge of MSMEs. It is believed that both deputy chief ministers Keshav Maurya and Brajesh Pathak were also angry with their secretaries. Brijesh Pathak had even written a letter to the Chief Minister against his secretary, alleging irregularities in major transfers in the health department.
As the ACS of both the Deputy Chief Ministers had to be changed, the Chief Minister has also made changes of his choice in his departments.
