West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari has appointed Manoj Kumar Agarwal as the state's new Chief Secretary, replacing Dushyant Nariala. Agarwal, a 1990-batch IAS officer, has taken over the top post in the state government, overseeing administration and coordinating various departments.
This appointment comes as the state's first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government finalizes portfolios for its five ministers. Agnimitra Paul, the first woman inducted into the cabinet, will head the municipal affairs and urban development department, among others.
Meanwhile, Subrata Gupta, a retired IAS officer, has been appointed as an adviser to the Chief Minister. Gupta was previously a special roll observer for the contentious special intensive revision (SIR) process that led to the removal of millions of voters from the rolls.
