At a ceremony held at the Mantralaya, Kumar said he would work in close coordination with all departments and stakeholders to realise the vision of a “Developed Maharashtra” by 2047
Kumar, who previously served as Additional Chief Secretary in the Revenue Department, took over from Saunik at a formal handover event
Senior IAS officer Rajesh Kumar on Monday officially assumed charge as Maharashtra’s 49th Chief Secretary, succeeding Sujata Saunik.
At a ceremony held at the Mantralaya, Kumar said he would work in close coordination with all departments and stakeholders to realise the vision of a “Developed Maharashtra” by 2047.
Kumar, who previously served as Additional Chief Secretary in the Revenue Department, took over from Saunik at a formal handover event. The farewell and welcome ceremony witnessed the presence of several senior officials, including former Chief Secretary Manoj Saunik, Kumar’s wife Archana Rajesh Kumar, and other dignitaries.
Speaking on the occasion, Rajesh Kumar said, “Maharashtra is already a progressive state in many sectors. My priority will be to work collaboratively with departmental secretaries to enhance the lives of common citizens. Our aim should be to ensure that people don’t need to come to Mantralaya for basic services – we will strengthen local governance and speed up the implementation of various departmental schemes.”
He emphasised the importance of good governance and innovation, expressing confidence that Maharashtra could set national benchmarks through collective effort and administrative efficiency.
The event also marked the retirement of outgoing Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik and Commissioner of Medical Education Rajeev Nivatkar, both of whom were felicitated by colleagues and Mantralaya staff.
In her farewell address, Saunik reflected on her tenure, saying, “Maharashtra is not just a state—it’s a philosophy of innovation and achievement. Governance here is an opportunity to serve and lead. I’m grateful to the government and the people for allowing me to be a part of this journey.”
Rajeev Nivatkar also expressed his gratitude to the government and his colleagues, calling his service a deeply fulfilling experience.
Among those present at the function were Additional Chief Secretaries V. Radha and Vikas Kharge, Resident Commissioner R. Vimala, Principal Secretaries Eknath Dawale and Radhika Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary Manisha Mhaiskar, and several other senior officials. Leaders of employee associations including Mr. Katkar and Vinod Desai also shared their thoughts and extended their best wishes.
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