With Parliament set to discuss an extension of President’s Rule in Manipur, the Centre has replaced Chief Secretary Prashant Kumar Singh with IAS officer Puneet Goel. While Singh’s transfer to NCST is raising eyebrows, Goel’s short tenure signals a tightly managed administrative shift.
BY PC BUREAU
New Delhi, July 15: In a move seen as both symbolic and strategic, the Central government has transferred Prashant Kumar Singh, Chief Secretary of Manipur, to the position of Secretary, National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST). The surprise shift comes amid sustained political and ethnic unrest in the northeastern state and just ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament, where the Centre is expected to seek an extension of President’s Rule in Manipur.
While officially presented as a routine transfer, multiple sources and observers suggest Singh’s posting to the NCST — a constitutional but largely advisory body — may be a quiet shunting, intended to remove him from the eye of Manipur’s ongoing political storm without drawing public scrutiny. With over 260 deaths since ethnic violence broke out in May 2023 and increasing pressure from Meitei civil society groups and local BJP MLAs to restore democratic governance, Singh’s departure signals a shift in the Centre’s administrative approach.
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Singh’s Exit, Centre’s Confidence?
During his tenure, Singh oversaw significant crackdowns on insurgent groups, weapons seizures, and the arrest of extortionists. However, his neutral handling of sensitive law-and-order operations and apparent reluctance to align with any dominant ethnic narrative may have caused discomfort among certain stakeholders — both in Manipur, especially in Imphal, and at the Centre.
His appointment to the NCST — while formally prestigious — strips him of executive authority. With five years left before retirement (he was born in June 1970), this is no retirement placement, but likely a calculated repositioning. Senior officials describe such postings as “cooling-off zones,” especially when officers are moved out of politically charged environments.
Enter Puneet Kumar Goel — A Technocrat on Borrowed Time
Replacing Singh is Puneet Kumar Goel, a 1991-batch IAS officer from the AGMUT cadre, whose central deputation has been abruptly curtailed to take over as Chief Secretary of Manipur. Goel is expected to hold the post only until August 2026, adding an unusual time-bound element to the appointment.
This limited tenure suggests a stopgap arrangement, meant to stabilize the state bureaucracy during the sensitive period of President’s Rule and possibly into the early phases of political restoration. Analysts believe his term may focus on damage control, administrative continuity, and ensuring smooth coordination with central forces — without long-term strategic overhauls.
Goel’s Career: From Power Corridors to the Periphery
Puneet Kumar Goel brings with him a vast portfolio of experience, but he never held a sensitive post. A B.Tech graduate from IIT Kanpur, with further degrees from IIT Delhi, USC, and an MBA from IGNOU, Goel has served in both field and central postings, building a track record in energy, finance, and urban governance, but never served in a conflict-ridden state..
He has held key roles such as:
- Deputy Commissioner in Arunachal Pradesh
- Secretary (Finance & Power) in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands
- Executive Director, Rural Electrification Corporation
- Commissioner, South Delhi Municipal Corporation
- Development Commissioner and then Chief Secretary of Goa, where he handled up to 11 portfolios, including Finance, Planning, and Vigilance
His work in the energy sector, particularly in renewables and rural electrification, has earned recognition, with over 20 papers published and central empanelment at Additional Secretary rank in 2022.
Until recently, he was serving as Secretary of the NCST, the very post now being occupied by the man he replaces — Pradeep Kumar Singh. This swap-like transition between Singh and Goel reflects a deeper calibration within the Centre’s approach to Manipur, suggesting a desire for tighter administrative alignment while avoiding direct political escalation.
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The Road Ahead
With the monsoon session of Parliament set to begin July 21, and opposition parties gearing up to raise questions on Manipur’s governance and President’s Rule extension, the reshuffle adds another layer to the Centre’s balancing act.
Whether Goel’s short-term stewardship can steer Manipur toward stability — or whether his limited mandate becomes a bottleneck in long-term recovery — remains to be seen. Meanwhile, Pradeep Kumar Singh’s quiet exit serves as a stark reminder that in times of crisis, even seasoned bureaucrats can find themselves sidelined — not for failing, but for standing in the way of a changing political calculus.
