Devesh Kumar takes charge as Bihar State Planning Board Vice-Chairman
Synopsis
Devesh Kumar — BJP leader, ex-legislator, and grandson of a freedom fighter — has taken charge as Bihar State Planning Board Vice-Chairman with an ambitious pitch: transform the body into Bihar's own NITI Aayog. His first act was a near-hour-long briefing on the Board's roadmap, signalling intent beyond ceremonial charge-taking.
Key Takeaways
Devesh Kumar assumed charge as Bihar State Planning Board Vice-Chairman on 4 September at Soochna Bhawan, Patna .
He was received by Additional Chief Secretary N.
Vijayalakshmi and held a nearly one-hour discussion on the Board's roadmap.
Kumar pledged to make the Planning Board a premier think tank for Bihar , comparable to NITI Aayog at the national level.
He was nominated to the Bihar Legislative Council under the Governor's quota in 2021 , later resigning to enable Minister Deepak Prakash's legislative entry.
Kumar is the grandson of freedom fighter Yamuna Karyi and currently serves as BJP's state in-charge for Mizoram .
Devesh Kumar formally assumed charge as Bihar State Planning Board Vice-Chairman on Friday, 4 September at Soochna Bhawan in Patna, in the presence of senior officials of the Planning and Development Department, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders, family members, and a large gathering of supporters.
The Assumption of Charge
Kumar arrived at the Vice-Chairman's office on the fifth floor of Soochna Bhawan accompanied by his wife, Veera Sharma. He was received with a floral bouquet by Planning and Development Department Additional Chief Secretary N. Vijayalakshmi. Also present were Additional Secretary Shyam Bihari Meena, Director Subhash Das Ram, and other senior departmental officials.
Among the BJP leaders attending the event were BJP National Spokesperson Dr Ajay Alok, BJP OBC Morcha National General Secretary Dr Nikhil Anand, Dr Alok Abhijit, Uday Chandra, Sanjeev Kshatriya, Ranjan Kumar Gautam, and Kunal Kumar.
First Day in Office
After taking charge, Kumar held an introductory meeting with departmental officials and staff. He subsequently engaged in a nearly one-hour discussion with Additional Chief Secretary N. Vijayalakshmi and Additional Secretary Shyam Bihari Meena, covering the Planning Board's past work, current operations, and future roadmap.
What Devesh Kumar Said
Speaking to the media after assuming office, Kumar underscored Bihar's development potential. 'There is immense scope for work regarding planning, implementation and future vision in Bihar. In this context, the Planning Board holds great significance. The Planning Board can establish itself as a premier think tank for the state of Bihar, much like NITI Aayog at the national level,' he said.
Kumar stated that his primary objective would be to establish the Planning Board as a relevant and effective institution for Bihar's development and long-term future.
Background and Political Journey
Kumar was nominated to the Bihar Legislative Council under the Governor's quota in 2021. He later resigned from the Council to facilitate the legislative entry of Panchayati Raj Minister Deepak Prakash, who was not a member of either House of the state legislature at the time of his ministerial appointment. Following Kumar's resignation, Prakash was nominated to the Council against the vacated seat.
Kumar is the grandson of freedom fighter Yamuna Karyi and worked as a journalist with several organisations before entering active politics. After joining the BJP, he took on various organisational roles within the party and currently serves as the BJP's state in-charge for Mizoram.
His appointment signals the Bihar government's intent to reinvigorate the Planning Board as a credible policy institution — a mandate Kumar has publicly committed to delivering.
Point of View
Rarely commanding the policy authority its mandate suggests. Kumar's invocation of NITI Aayog as a benchmark is aspirational but telling — it signals awareness that the Board needs a credibility reset, not just a new face. His own political biography, marked by a voluntary resignation to accommodate a party colleague, suggests a loyalist track record that will matter in navigating Bihar's coalition dynamics. Whether the Planning Board can genuinely shape development policy or remains a ceremonial posting for party faithful will depend on how much institutional autonomy the government is willing to extend.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Devesh Kumar, the new Bihar State Planning Board Vice-Chairman?
Devesh Kumar is a BJP leader and grandson of freedom fighter Yamuna Karyi who assumed charge as Bihar State Planning Board Vice-Chairman on 4 September in Patna. He previously served as a member of the Bihar Legislative Council under the Governor's quota and currently holds the post of BJP's state in-charge for Mizoram.
What is the Bihar State Planning Board?
The Bihar State Planning Board is a state-level policy body responsible for planning, development strategy, and implementation oversight for Bihar. Kumar has stated his intent to reposition it as a premier think tank for the state, modelled on the lines of NITI Aayog at the national level.
Why did Devesh Kumar resign from the Bihar Legislative Council?
Kumar resigned from the Bihar Legislative Council in 2021 to vacate his Governor's quota seat for Panchayati Raj Minister Deepak Prakash, who needed legislative membership to continue in his ministerial role. Prakash was subsequently nominated to the Council against the seat Kumar had vacated.
What did Devesh Kumar say about the Planning Board's future?
Kumar said the Planning Board can establish itself as a premier think tank for Bihar, comparable to NITI Aayog at the national level. He stated his primary objective is to establish the Board's relevance and utility as a key institution for Bihar's development.
Who attended Devesh Kumar's charge-taking ceremony?
The ceremony at Soochna Bhawan in Patna was attended by Additional Chief Secretary N. Vijayalakshmi, senior departmental officials, BJP National Spokesperson Dr Ajay Alok, BJP OBC Morcha National General Secretary Dr Nikhil Anand, and several other BJP leaders, along with Kumar's wife Veera Sharma and supporters.
