Janjivan Bureau / New Delhi : Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Principal Secretary Nripendra Misra has decided to step down from his post after serving as a key aide of Modi for over five years.
Misra has been asked by the Prime Minister to continue for two weeks, principal government spokesperson Sitanshu Kar said on Friday.
Modi has appointed P K Sinha, who superannuated as Cabinet Secretary on Friday, as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the PMO, he said.
Describing Misra, 1967-batch retired IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, as one of the most outstanding officers, Modi said: “When I was new to Delhi in 2014, he taught me a lot and his guidance remains extremely valuable.”
Conveying his best wishes to 74-year-old retired bureaucrat for the “new phase” of his life, Modi said, “After serving the PMO assiduously and diligently for over five years and making an indelible contribution to India’s growth trajectory, Nripendra Misra will be embarking on a new phase of his life. My best wishes to him for his future endeavours.”
In a statement, Misra said it has been a privilege for him to serve the country under Modi. “I am deeply grateful to him for this opportunity and the complete confidence he has placed in me,” he said.
He said he enjoyed working, committing his every hour and thought for more than five years towards a satisfying journey.
“It is now time for me to move on, even as I remain devoted to public causes and national interest. I thank all colleagues, within and outside the government, friends and my family for this support. I wish Shri Narendra Modi Ji, our Prime Minister, success as he leads our country into a bright future,” he said.
Misra has been in the PMO since 2014 after BJP-led NDA came to power and Modi became the Prime Minister.
He was reappointed as Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary with a rank of a Cabinet Minister after the Modi government returned to power in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
After serving in various capacities in the government, Misra had retired as the Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) in 2009.
Misra was appointed in the PMO in 2014 after the government promulgated an ordinance to amend the TRAI Act that could have prevented him from getting the key post.
The TRAI Act prohibits its Chairman and members from taking up any other job in the central or state governments after demitting office.
A powerful officer in the PMO, Misra was responsible for coordinating with ministries, and implementing key policy decisions of the government.
In tweets, the Prime Minister called him an outstanding officer.
“Shri Nripendra Misra is among the most outstanding officers, who has a great grasp of public policy and administration. When I was new to Delhi in 2014, he taught me a lot and his guidance remains extremely valuable,” PM Modi tweeted.
He said Mr Misra had helped him not just on a personal capacity but was an important aide in the past five years.
“After serving the PMO assiduously and diligently for over five years and making an indelible contribution to India’s growth trajectory, Shri Nripendra Misra Ji will be embarking on a new phase of his life. My best wishes to him for his future endeavours,” he wrote.
Mr Misra, 74, will work till the second week of September, said the PM, adding that he had expressed his wish to quit after the election but had continued on his request.
“The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister expressed his intention to be relieved of his assignment. Prime Minister has requested him to continue for two weeks,” the government said in a press statement.
Mr Misra was seen as one of India’s most powerful bureaucrats.
A UP cadre Indian Administrative Service officer, Mr Misra has been chairperson of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India, Telecom Secretary of India and Fertilizers Secretary of India.
When he joined the PM’s office, he was given cabinet rank. The rules of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) were amended so he could join the government again after retirement.
