Guwahati: Manipur is set to have its fifth chief secretary in three years since the outbreak of ethnic conflict in May 2023, with the state government preparing for a change at the top bureaucratic post.
Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Saturday hosted Chief Secretary Puneet Goel, who is due to retire from service this month. Goel assumed charge as Manipur’s chief secretary on July 21, 2025.
Although the government has not yet officially announced Goel’s successor, people familiar with the matter said Rajeev Singh Thakur, a 1995-batch IAS officer, is likely to be appointed to the post.
Thakur is currently serving as programme director for administration, governance and reforms and infrastructure connectivity at NITI Aayog.
The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), in an order dated August 28, approved Thakur’s transfer from the Rajasthan cadre to the Manipur cadre.
According to the notification, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the inter-cadre transfer of Thakur, with his central deputation tenure curtailed to facilitate his transfer. His tenure in the Manipur cadre will continue until June 30, 2029, the date of his superannuation, with the transfer approved as a relaxation of the existing policy.
Before Goel, Rajesh Kumar, Vineet Joshi and Prashant Kumar served as Manipur’s chief secretaries.
The change in leadership comes at a time of renewed tension between Naga and Kuki communities following recent incidents of violence in the state.