IAS Officer Amrit Lal Meena Appointed As Bihar Chief Secretary

New Delhi: Bihar government has appointed 1989 batch IAS officer Amrit Lal Meena as new chief secretary of the state. Meena who was serving as the Coal Secretary in the Government of India was “repatriated” after cabinet accepted the request submitted by Nitish Kumar government.

Meena is set to replace Brijesh Mehrotra, the current Chief Secretary of Bihar. 

“The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved repatriation of Amrit Lal Meena, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Coal to his parent cadre on the request of Government of Bihar,” an order from the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet said.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Meets New Chief Secretary 

After getting appointed as the top administrative officer, Bihar CM met Amrit Lal Meena and congratulated him for his appointment. 

Amrit Lal Meena At Coal Ministry 

At the helm of the administrative set up in the Coal Ministry Amrit Lal Meena had projected that India's state-owned coal mining companies are planning to invest around Rs 20,000 crore in the next four years to set up renewable energy generation projects across states. 

Earlier in March this year, Meena said that the government is open to offering closed and abandoned coal mines to the private sector under the revenue sharing mode. 

“We have undertaken a complete survey of all the coal mines which are closed or abandoned, and from where people are still taking out coal. There are about 225 such mines in total,” Meena said at the 17th Indian Coal Markets Conference. 

Ministry of coal on August 24 said that it has identified 38 priority rail projects under the coal logistics plan that will be fast-tracked in close coordination with the Ministry of Railways. These projects are essential for improving rail connectivity, ensuring timely coal supply, and reducing logistics costs, thereby enhancing the overall efficiency of coal transportation across the country.

Among these priority projects, government has recently approved two significant rail projects in Odisha: The Sardega-Bhalumuda double line and the Bargarh Road-Nawapara Road single line.

The 37.24 km long Sardega-Bhalumuda new double line, passing through various coal blocks of the IB Valley and Mand-Raigarh Coalfield, will facilitate the evacuation of coal from mines operated by Mahanadi Coalfields Limited (MCL) and several private mines. This project is particularly strategic as it reduces the transportation distance to power plants in Northern India from Sardega, thereby enhancing efficiency.

Meanwhile, earlier in August this year, 11 officials working at the executive level in the mining discipline at Central Coalfields in Jharkhand have been transferred. The transfer order includes the names of four Chief Managers, 5 senior managers and two managers. The rejig has also happened at the Rajrappa project where the transfer of 20 officials with the maximum being at the clerical level has taken place. 

In this regard, Coalfield Mazdoor Union leader Chandeshwar Singh has claimed that transfers were put in place due to alleged irregularities at the unit and demanded an inquiry in the matter.