MP govt names IAS BP Singh as new chief secy

To put an end to the speculations regarding extension in service to chief secretary Antony de Sa, the cabinet of Madhya Pradesh declared Basant Pratap Singh, a 1984 batch IAS officer of the state cadre, as the new chief secretary of the state.

Currently, Singh is with the Home Department as Additional Chief Secretary and will take charge from November 1.

Chief Secretary (CS) Antony de Sa, who is retiring on October 31, bidden adieu in a cabinet meeting on Thursday. Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, amidst rumours of de Sa’s service extension, has clearly said that de Sa will not be given any extension.

Sources said, a letter for his extension was sent to the center by the state government; however center refused to accept the proposal as his job was not satisfying.

Meanwhile, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan called him as one of the capable officers. The rumours of de Sa’s service extension were doing the rounds for long time but he had refuted them on several occasions. De Sa had assumed charge of CS in October, 2013.

The state IAS Officers’ Association has distributed invitation cards for his farewell party. Sources said de Sa himself wanted to get his farewell party announced so that rumours about his service extension, in media and bureaucracy, could be scotched. The Association is going to organise a party on October 31, Monday to bid farewell to de Sa and the invitations have been sent out to all IAS officers.