New Uttar Pradesh chief secretary is Yogi's trusted officer, has weathered diverse political climates

Hindustan Times

6 days ago

Known as a trusted officer of chief minister Yogi Adityanath, newly appointed Uttar Pradesh chief secretary Shashi Prakash Goyal has navigated the turbulence of political regimes of different shades in Uttar Pradesh with ease during the course of his 36-year-long career as a bureaucrat. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath with newly appointed chief secretary Shashi Prakash Goyal. (HT)
Having led the CM's secretariat for over eight years, the 1989-batch IAS officer has been the 'eyes and ears' of the chief minister while keeping a close watch on the state bureaucracy and discharging his duties without seeking public attention.
From 1996 to 2002, with the BJP in power in Uttar Pradesh for most of this period, Goyal was posted as the district magistrate of Deoria, Mathura and Etawah.
The fact that he remained in the good books of political parties and leaders of different ideologies could be gauged from the fact that when the Samajwadi Party came to power in 2003, he was posted as DM of an important district like Prayagraj (then Allahabad). He also served as additional CEO, Greater NOIDA, Aligarh DM, commissioner NCR and staff officer to the UP chief secretary under the SP government.
In 2007, when the Samajwadi Party lost power to the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), it seemed that Goyal may be shunted to an insignificant post but he maintained his clout and was posted as principal staff officer to cabinet secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh, considered the right-hand man of the then chief minister Mayawati. Remaining on the post for five years, he was a bridge between the bureaucracy and the government.
In 2012, when the Samajwadi Party regained power with Akhilesh Yadav as CM, Goyal was given key assignments in the planning, irrigation, cooperative and programme Implementation departments.
A senior IAS officer said SP Goyal also maintained cordial relations with the central bureaucracy. When the BJP came to power in 2014 at Centre, he went on central deputation as joint secretary in the department of higher education in the ministry of human resources development.
After a three-year central deputation, he returned to Uttar Pradesh in May 2017, about two months after the BJP government came to power when CM Yogi Adityanath was looking for an officer known for hard work, dedication and honesty to handle affairs in the chief minister's office. He zeroed in on SP Goyal who was on the waitlist.
On May 19, 2017, Goyal was made principal secretary to the chief minister. He was allotted key departments like civil aviation, estate, protocol as well as additional resident commissioner. During his tenure in the CM's office, Goyal was the bridge between the central and state governments, ensuring the central and state government schemes were launched successfully. He also played an important role in the organisation of the Global Investor Summit and Ground Breaking ceremonies. During his tenure in the CM office, Goyal played an important role in the transfer and posting of officers in the districts as well as in the various state government departments.
Yogi Adityanath rewarded Goyal with the top post in the state bureaucracy after Manoj Kumar Singh's retirement on Thursday.
Goyal is likely to continue on the post till his retirement in 2027. SP Goyal had secured All India Rank 1 in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 1989.
GOYAL OUTLINES HIS PRIORITIES
After taking charge, newly appointed chief secretary Shashi Prakash Goyal on Thursday said his priorities include zero tolerance toward crime and corruption and turning Uttar Pradesh into a trillion- dollar economy.
Stating that chief minister Yogi Adityanath's priorities will be his priority, he said he will work for the development of the state and welfare of the masses.