Bhopal: A 1989 batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh Anurag Jain will be the new Chief Secretary of the state.
He will replace the current CS Veera Rana, who retired on Monday.
Jain was now posted in New Delhi on central deputation as the Secretary in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways for three terms in the Narendra Modi-led government. Earlier, he was also posted as the Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
According to sources, the orders for his posting as the CS would be released late tonight by the state government. Jain will replace Rana, a 1988 batch IAS officer, who retired as the CS on September 30 after receiving an extension of six months.
While serving in Madhya Pradesh, Jain has been the Collector of various important districts including the state’s capital Bhopal. Having earlier served twice as the secretary to former MP CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan, he is highly regarded for his expertise in financial management.
In 2019, former Congress CM Kamal Nath appointed Jain as the head of the state’s finance department. From December 2013 to February 2014, he served as the Acting Chairman and Managing Director of the Export-Import Bank of India (EXIM Bank), too.
Jain’s appointment is based on his experience and seniority, and he is also reportedly favoured by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. Jain is the senior most IAS officer in the MP cadre at present.
Discussion about making Jain the CS had surfaced nine months ago when he met with CM Yadav at the Madhya Pradesh Bhawan, New Delhi. At that time, it was believed that Jain would soon return to the state.
Jain did his B Tech degree in electrical engineering from IIT Kharagpur in 1986. After coming into the service, he earned a masters degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell Institute in the USA.
An excellent tennis player, he has won 11 national-level awards in the game.
Jain, who will be the 35th Chief Secretary of the state, is due to retire on
August 31, 2025.