PANAJI
Pending public interest litigation (PIL) over alleged illegal land conversions in Goa, the former State Chief Secretary IAS Puneet Kumar Goel’s central deputation has been curtailed by the Union government while shifting his services to the State cadre.
In an order issued on July 15, the Ministry of Personnel has approved the inter-cadre deputation of Goel, who was currently serving as Secretary to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, to the Manipur cadre. Goel is an Arunachal Pradesh, Goa, Mizoram and Union Territories (AGMUT) cadre IAS officer from the 1991 batch. This involves shortening the officer’s tenure on central deputation before its scheduled end.
He is now been appointed as the Chief Secretary of Manipur. Prashant Kumar Singh, 1993 batch, who was currently serving as the Chief Secretary of Manipur, is now promoted to the Union government.
“The appointments committee of the cabinet has approved the proposal of Department of Personnel and Training for inter-cadre deputation of Puneet Kumar Goel, IAS from AGMUT to Manipur cadre, on curtailment of central deputation tenure for a period up to August 31, 2026 that is till the date of his superannuation, in relaxation of the policy,” the order stated.
Goel, who served as Goa Chief Secretary from February 2022, was transferred in October 2024 following serious allegations of illegal land conversions in Aldona village. A PIL in this regard is pending in the High Court.
The petitioners had alleged a “colourable exercise of powers” by the chief secretary in the matter. They said he signed the file on March 11, approving the change of zone in the form of a correction, two months before he purchased the property.
