Maharashtra Government wants top IPS officer to head its info and publicity dept

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis is all set to appoint an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer to completely revamp the state's information and publicity department.

Brijesh Singh

Inspector General (IG) of Police Brijesh Singh, currently heading the state's newly-created Cyber and Crime against Women Cell at Mantralaya since January this year, will be made secretary (information and publicity). The appointment order is expected soon, said a high-level officer in the government. Singh will also bear additional responsibility of the Cyber and Crime against Women Cell.

It will be a first for an IPS officer to work in the capacity of secretary in this department. Fadnavis has recently transferred director general, information and publicity (DGIPR), Chandrashekhar Oak, an Indian Administrative Service officer, as commissioner of entrance examination cell. But Oak also continues to hold the office of DGIPR.

As new secretary, Singh will replace senior IAS officer Manisha Mhaiskar, who also is principal secretary (urban development-2). Singh will report to the CM, who heads the information and publicity department.

An IT expert
Singh is an accomplished author, novelist, commentator and information technology expert who has successfully made the State CID a tech savvy outfit. According to Mantralaya officers, Fadnavis has not been very happy with the functioning of information and publicity department.

"The CM wants to make the department tech savvy by taking it to a digital platform. The department is devoid of innovation and has consistently failed in taking new approaches, either because of lack of initiative by respective heads or because of complete lack of awareness in modern methods," a senior officer told mid-day on Friday.

Singh's primary job will be to oversee and overhaul the department's massive set-up across the state. The department works at district and divisional headquarters and Mantralaya.