UP Cabinet Secretary gives up bureaucrat head status

Lucknow, Mar 1 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh, who has been in the eye of a storm ever since his elevation in the Mayawati government, has given up the Cabinet Minister post and also the status of the head bureaucracy in a swift decision.

An announcement to this effect was made by Chief Minister Mayawati in the state assembly today.

Ms Mayawati, in her suo moto statement, said she received Mr Singh's letter, requesting her to divest him of the cabinet minister's rank as well as the head of state administration, yesterday evening.

Mr Singh, however, will continue to be the Cabinet Secretary. In fact, he was enjoying the status of cabinet minister by virtue of being Deputy Chariman of state planning commission.

Mr Singh, an ex-cadre officer, was under constant attack from various quarters after having been placed at the top of state administrative hierarchy. There had been inner rumblings within the state, the first in any state of the country. The opposition, especially the Samajwadi Party, had opposed the elevation during the current session of state legislature.

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