Shri Manoj Kumar Agarwal IAS (West Bengal 1990), presently Additional Chief Secretary, Forest Department, with additional charge of Additional Chief Secretary, Disaster Management & Civil Defence Department, is transferred and appointed as Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal.
In this role, he will not hold any additional charge under the Government of West Bengal, except for being designated as the Additional Chief Secretary to the Government in charge of the Election Department in the State Secretariat.
Shri Agarwal began his administrative career in 1990 as a trainee officer. He was then posted as an Additional District Magistrate in Bardhaman (1991-1992) and later served as a Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO) in Bardhaman from 1992 to 1994. Following this, he held the position of Additional District Magistrate in Purulia (1994-1997) and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in Jalpaiguri (1997-1999).
He then took charge as District Magistrate in North Dinajpur (1999-2001) and later served as District Magistrate in Bardhaman from 2001 to 2003. Subsequently, he worked as CEO, Infrastructure Development Corporation (2003) before moving to the central government, where he held the post of Deputy Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (2003-2004). He continued at the Centre, serving as Private Secretary in the Ministry of Water Resources (2004-2005) and later in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (2005-2009).
Shri Agarwal then served as Commissioner (Land Disposal) at the Delhi Development Authority (2009-2010) before returning to West Bengal, where he took up roles in the Technical Education & Training Department (2010-2012), Mass Education Extension Department (2011-2012), and Urban Development Department (2012-2014). He later served in the Personnel & Administrative Reforms Department (2014-2017) as Principal Secretary.
From 2017 to 2020, he was Principal Secretary & Commissioner in the Food & Supplies Department. He then moved to the Fire & Emergency Services Department as Principal Secretary (2020-2021) and continued as Additional Chief Secretary in the same department until December 2024. Most recently, he was serving as Additional Chief Secretary in the Forest Department (since June 2024) before assuming his current position as Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal.
Throughout his distinguished career, Shri Manoj Kumar Agarwal has demonstrated exceptional leadership, administrative acumen, and an unwavering commitment to public service. His extensive experience across multiple sectors, from land revenue management and urban development to education and emergency services, reflects his versatility and dedication to governance. His ability to navigate complex challenges with efficiency and foresight has earned him widespread respect. As he takes on the crucial role of Chief Electoral Officer, his expertise and integrity are expected to further strengthen the democratic processes in West Bengal, ensuring transparency and fairness in electoral administration.
IndianBureaucracy.com wishes Shri Manoj Kumar Agarwal the very best.
