New J&K LG Girish Chandra Murmu is PM Modi's trusted aide.
Newly-appointed Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Girish Chandra Murmu is Prime Minister Narendra Modi's trusted aide. A 1985 batch Gujarat cadre IAS officer, Girish Chandra Murmu's association with PM Modi dates back to his days as the chief minister of Gujarat. Murmu served as Principal Secretary to PM Modi during his tenure as Gujarat CM back then. Murmu, who hails from Odisha, was tasked to monitor all the prestigious projects of the Gujarat government.
Earlier in March, Murmu was elevated as Expenditure Secretary from his earlier post of Special Secretary, Revenue, Ministry of Finance. Girish Chandra Murmu is known for his skills in effective implementation of government schemes, which is probably the reason of him being handpicked by PM Modi.
Girish Murmu holds a Business Administration degree from the Birmingham University. He is perceived as one of the most trusted serving bureaucrats in the Union Governor.
As Expenditure Secretary, Murmu worked in close coordination with Prime Minister's Office as well as Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Girish Chandra Murmu was due to retirement on November 30.
Girish Chandra Murmu is the first Lt Governor of Jammu and Kashmir. The appointment has been made six days ahead of the state becoming a Union Territory. The present governor of the state Satya Pal Malik moves to Goa for the remainder of his tenure as the governor.
The two Union territories -- Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir -- will come into existence on October 31 after the Centre abrogated the special status of the state and bifurcated it into union territories on August 5.
With the appointment of Murmu, the tenure of advisors to the Jammu and Kashmir Governor -- K Vijay Kumar, Khursheed Ganai, K Sikandan and K K Sharma -- may come to an end as all of them are seniors in service to the new Lt Governor.
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