Lucknow, July 2 : Manoj Kumar Singh, the IAS officer from the 1988 batch, took charge as the new Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh on Sunday.

Manoj Kumar Singh currently holds two pivotal positions as the Agriculture Production Commissioner and the Infrastructure and Industrial Development Commissioner.

He has also served as the Additional Chief Secretary of Panchayati Raj and Food Processing, as well as the Chairman of UPDA.

In an exclusive conversation with IANS, the newly appointed Chief Secretary spoke about his priorities and also what steps he seeks to take to strengthen the public justice system.

The bureaucrat with an excellent track record says that he aims to ensure swift justice for the public at police stations and tehsils.

IANS: You have become the new Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh. What will your priorities and goals?

Manoj Kumar Singh: I view the new responsibility as a significant opportunity. Our main priorities, as outlined by the Chief Minister, are to focus on the economic development and prosperity of the 24 crore people of the state. Our first priority is to realise the dreams of the people. We have already initiated projects worth around 10 lakh crores after the Global Investor Summit, and our priority is to allocate land for these projects and provide incentives to existing industries. Additionally, we are committed to ensuring efficient and fair handling of public grievances at police stations, tehsils, and block offices to deliver better governance.

IANS: Is Kumbh going to happen next year? Is there any possibility of the Ganga Expressway starting before that?

Manoj Kumar SIingh: We are currently working on the Ganga Expressway and hope to commence the main carriageway by December 2024. The challenge we are facing is the high groundwater levels in the area covered by two segments, making it difficult to properly supply soil even during the summer months. Our goal is to overcome these challenges and open the main carriageway by December 2024.

IANS: In Uttar Pradesh, a lot of revenue-related complaints are seen in public hearings or elsewhere. Will there be a better system for its disposal?

Manoj Kumar Singh: The Chief Minister has emphasised about this during Janta Darshan. There is a strong system in IGRS to handle this. By resolving complaints during these meetings, we can reduce the number of complaints. To achieve this, we are implementing a system where four or five complaints will be randomly selected each day. These complaints will be thoroughly reviewed to ensure that the reported issues have been addressed correctly. I believe that running this system for fifteen or twenty days will greatly improve its quality.

IANS: What measures have you thought to improve the law and order in the state?

Manoj Kumar SIingh: The law and order in the state is in a good situation, right now. During my time at IIDC, I've observed that industrialists are interested in investing in the state because of the good law and order situation. Our goal is to further strengthen this system by ensuring good coordination among our police personnel.

IANS: MPs and MLAs often complain that the district officials neither pick up their phones nor respond. What will you do about this?

Manoj Kumar SIingh: You are right. The Chief Minister keeps giving instructions on this. And this is a matter of accountability. Our field officers should be required to be in the office from 10 am to 12 pm. During this time, they should listen to the complaints and suggestions of the public. It will ensure that the instructions of the Chief Minister on this matter are followed properly.

IANS: A law is being brought regarding the paper leak. Paper leak has been a big issue, will you make a strong arrangement regarding this?

Manoj Kumar Singh: This is a serious issue, and the Chief Minister is deeply concerned. That's why he has enacted a new and strict law on this matter. The examination centres would be held in highly reputable and well-established colleges and schools. Additionally, the administrative and police officials should coordinate with each other before, during, and after the exams to ensure that the exams are conducted fairly and correctly. Our priority now is to work towards achieving this goal.

/IANS