For the first time, the Maharashtra government has appointed a woman officer as the Chief Secretary of Maharashtra. A few months ago, Rashmi Shukla was appointed the Director General of Police of Maharashtra. Rashmi Shukla became the first woman Director General of Police of Maharashtra. After this, the government has also appointed another woman officer as the Chief Secretary of the state. The Maharashtra government has appointed IAS officer Sujata Saunik as the Chief Secretary of the state. Sujata Saunik is an officer of the 1987 batch. There was a discussion going on for two days that Sujata Saunik would be appointed the Chief Secretary of the state. Finally this discussion came true.
Earlier, her husband Manoj Saunik has also served as the Chief Secretary of the state. The current Chief Secretary of the state, Dr. Nitin Kareer, is retiring. Sujata Saunik has been appointed in his place. Sujata Saunik will hold the charge of Chief Secretary of the state till June 2025.
Many names were discussed for the post of Chief Secretary
The names of Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Rajesh Kumari (1987 batch) and Additional Chief Secretary to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde Iqbal Singh Chahal (1989 batch) were also being discussed for the post of Chief Secretary. But finally Sujata Saunik has been appointed as the Chief Secretary of the state.
Now there is also a discussion that the Shinde government has chosen Sujata Saunik to give the message of gender equality in the state. The special thing is that there are assembly elections in the state in the near future. Before this election, the state government has also made many announcements for women in the budget.
Who is Sujata Saunik?
Sujata Saunik is known as a fiery and strict disciplinarian woman. She is currently holding the charge of Additional Chief Secretary of the state’s Home Department. She was recently promoted to the post of Secretary. She has also served as Additional Chief Secretary in the General Administration Department. She has also worked in some other departments including Public Health.
Sujata Saunik has three decades of experience in administrative services. She has experience in various fields like health care, finance, education, disaster management. Sujata’s husband Manoj Saunik was also the Chief Secretary of the state. After this, he was appointed as the Chief Advisor to the Chief Minister.
After Manoj Saunik’s retirement, the government appointed 1988 batch IAS officer Nitin Kareer as the Chief Secretary. Kareer, who was appointed on December 31 last year, was due to retire in March this year, but was given a three-month extension in the backdrop of the Lok Sabha elections. After this, Manoj Saunik’s wife Sujata Saunik was appointed.
