Road Transport Secretary V Umashankar Set To Be Next Haryana Chief Secretary?

According to top sources, the incumbent Secretary of Road Transport, V Umashankar, IAS: HY: 1993 batch, is leading the race for the next Haryana Chief Secretary, as incumbent Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi is set to superannuate by the end of this month.

Top sources say the current panel of eligible officers does tick the boxes on seniority but falls short on residual service tenure, a non-negotiable criterion for a role as demanding as Chief Secretary. The government is reportedly reluctant to invest in an appointment that would offer only a brief run in the chair, particularly when it is seeking to sustain the pace and administrative rigour that has defined Rastogi's tenure. The case of Umashankar, who has service tenure till June 2028 and has been considered a good hand in administrative and policy planning, is considered the top brass's top choice.

Under Umashankar Road projects and planning, the clearance of highway projects was substantially streamlined, and top sources said he played a crucial role in de-bottlenecking the highway sector by surgically addressing delays through the  PRAGATI Platform. His earlier stint as Principal Secretary to two Chief Ministers, including the incumbent, also gives him the advantage of turf familiarity in the Haryana power corridors.

Top sources add that Haryana is in the midst of an ambitious push in infrastructure and governance. The Saini government has staked significant political capital on delivery on roads built, projects completed, and promises kept. In that context, the next Chief Secretary will not merely be an administrative head but a force multiplier for the government's agenda.