Bengal Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay
Amid a tussle between Centre and West Bengal over Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay, CM Mamata Banerjee on Monday said that the chief secretary will work as her advisor from Tuesday. "The chief secretary retired today. Therefore, he could not join the central deputation," the CM added.
"I will not allow him (Alapan Bandyopadhyay) to leave Nabanna. He is now the Chief Advisor to Chief Minister. We have appointed HK Dwivedi as the new Chief Secretary and BP Gopalika as the new Home Secretary," Mamata Banerjee told reporters.
The union government on Friday ordered West Bengal to relieve Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay for further posting at Centre. The move came hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's review meeting on damage caused by cyclone Yaas which was skipped by chief minister Mamata Banerjee.
In its order, the DoPT said, "Approved the placement of Alapan Bandyopadhyay (West Bengal Chief Secretary) with the Government of India. Accordingly, the State Govt is requested to relieve him with immediate effect and direct him to report to the Dept of Personnel & Training (DoPT), Delhi by 31st May."
Bandyopadhyay, a 1987-batch IAS officer of West Bengal cadre, retired on May 31 after completion of 60 years of age. He was earlier granted a three-month extension following a nod from the Centre.
