Vijay Kiran Anand, a 2009-batch IAS officer credited with playing a pivotal role in the success of Prayagraj Mahakumbh, has been appointed as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Invest UP and Secretary, Infrastructure and Industrial Development Department, Uttar Pradesh. Along with his core assignment, he will continue to hold additional charge as the Mela Officer, Kumbh Mela, Prayagraj. Tasked with revitalizing Invest UP, he is also expected to probe past irregularities within the agency.
He had earlier served as the District Magistrate of Mahakumbh Nagar during the grand spiritual congregation. Known for his proximity to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Vijay Kiran Anand has previously held key roles in Varanasi—after Prime Minister Narendra Modi was elected from the constituency—and later in Gorakhpur, the CM’s home turf.
He was instrumental in organizing the 2019 Kumbh and the 2025 Mahakumbh, both times as Mela Officer. Born in Bengaluru, Anand is also a qualified Chartered Accountant. His administrative acumen has earned him a distinguished reputation across districts like Mainpuri, Unnao, Firozabad, and Shahjahanpur, where he served as DM. His efforts in improving nutrition levels and learning outcomes during his tenure as Director of School Education and as a key official in the Mid-Day Meal scheme were recognized nationally when he received the Prime Minister’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration in 2020.
Meanwhile, Additional Director of Panchayati Raj Rajkumar Pratham has been put on a waiting list, reportedly due to irregularities in certain tenders during his long tenure in the Panchayati Raj Directorate.
In other key appointments:
- Navneet Sehara has been given additional charge as Additional Excise Commissioner along with his role as Joint Managing Director, UP Cooperative Sugar Mills Federation.
- Urban Development Secretary and Director of Local Bodies, Anuj Kumar Jha, has been handed additional charge as Director, SUDA (State Urban Development Agency), a post lying vacant since Dr. Anil Kumar’s retirement.
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The Appointment Department has also reshuffled the responsibilities of five PCS officers:
- Rajesh Kumar Pancham moved from ADM (Revenue/Administration), Kanpur Nagar, to Chandauli.
- Sanjeev Ojha from Additional Mela Officer, Prayagraj to Chief Revenue Officer, Azamgarh.
- Vidhesh shifted from ADM Judicial, Maharajganj, to Additional District Magistrate, Namami Gange & Rural Water Supply, Unnao.
- Sudama Verma promoted from SDM Prayagraj to ADM Judicial, Meerut.
Vivek Chaturvedi reassigned from Additional Mela Officer, Prayagraj to ADM (Revenue/Administration), Kanpur Nagar.