Jaipur, Nov 17 (NationPress) V. Srinivas has officially taken over as the new Chief Secretary of Rajasthan at the Secretariat on Monday, following the handover from the outgoing Chief Secretary Sudhansh Pant.

Prior to the transition, both Srinivas and Pant offered prayers with mantras at the Ganesh Temple located at the entrance of the Secretariat's main building.

The new Chief Secretary warmly greeted Sudhansh Pant upon accepting his new role.

In a statement to the press after taking charge, Srinivas expressed, "I am thankful to Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma for his faith in my capabilities, which has led me to this important role. My gratitude also extends to the Prime Minister for allowing me to oversee the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances in the Government of India for several years."

Rajasthan is my karmabhoomi (workplace). I began my journey here at the age of 22. Over the years, I have occupied various positions, including a probationary role in Nagaur, serving as a subdivisional officer in Bhilwara, and later working as a secretary in the Planning Department, Finance Department, Health Department, and Science and Technology Department. Additionally, I served as the Chairman of the Rajasthan Tax Board and Revenue Board. Pant has been a close associate of mine since our initial days in the cadre, and I have gained invaluable insights from my mentors," he shared.

Meanwhile, Pant received a farewell on Monday, organized by the IAS Association at the Secretariat.

After assuming leadership, Srinivas held his inaugural meeting with senior IAS officials.

Srinivas emphasized that the government has recently laid out a vision for a developed Rajasthan 2047.

“Implementing this vision is a substantial responsibility. Our focus will be on enhancing Rajasthan's growth rate and attracting fresh private investments,” he asserted.

He further noted that Rajasthan has consistently been among the top-governed states in India.

“During my tenure in the Central government, I was the Secretary-in-Charge of Rajasthan, and through the Deregulation Committee, I recognized several innovations that Rajasthan has implemented. Notably, the Public Relations Portal is one such innovation that has been adopted at the national level,” he stated.

Srinivas also mentioned the need to advance the Government of India's draft for the Public Trust Bill.

He claimed that the Chief Minister has instructed a continuous effort towards development in priority sectors with a comprehensive approach.

He added that Rajasthan has always prioritized significant areas of work, highlighting innovations in agriculture, IGNP, and social sectors, including Health for All. I am committed to realizing the new education policy.

He also praised the ‘Rising Rajasthan’ initiative, noting that numerous MoUs were established during that period.

“We will work diligently to implement the MoUs related to Rising Rajasthan. Our goal is a developed Rajasthan, which encompasses a vast area. We must prioritize the underprivileged, farmers, women, and youth while ensuring effective policy implementation and inter-departmental coordination,” he concluded.