After controversial demolitions, Surat gets new municipal commissioner; Who is Rajkumar Beniwal?

The state government on Saturday appointed IAS officer Rajkumar Beniwal to the post of Surat Municipal Commissioner, a post that had been lying vacant since August 11 after the transfer of M Nagarajan. Beniwal, who is from the 2004 IAS batch, was transferred from Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd in Bharuch, where he was the Managing Director, along with six other officers on Saturday.

He is also the nodal officer for development projects in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's hometown of Vadnagar The former Surat Municipal Commissioner Nagarajan was surrounded by controversy after the demolitions in the city’s Nasir Nagar on May 30.

Former municipal commissioner Nagarajan was removed following submissions that the demolitions on the private plot were indeed by Surat Municipal Corporation. The state government then transferred Nagarajan and posted him as State Project Director in Samagra Siksha Abhiyan, Gandhinagar.

The SMC’s charge was given to Surat District Collector Tejas Parmar. In other decisions, Remya Mohan Muthadath (2007 batch), Commissioner of Municipalities Administration & Ex-Officio Managing Director, Gujarat Urban Development Company Ltd.

& Additional Chief Executive Officer, Gujarat Urban Development Mission, Gandhinagar, would now hold the additional charge of the post of Secretary to Government (Housing & Nirmal Gujarat), Urban Development & Urban Housing Department, Sachivalaya, Gandhinagar until further orders, relieving Beniwal, who held the additional charge of the post.

Sanjeev Kumar (1998 batch ), Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister, would hold the additional charge of the post of Managing Director, Gujarat Narmada Valley Fertilizers & Chemicals Ltd., Bharuch, until further orders.

Rajesh Manjhu (2004 batch), Revenue Inspection Commissioner & Ex-officio Secretary to Government, Revenue Department, Sachivalaya, Gandhinagar (who also holds additional charge of the post of Superintendent of Stamps & Inspector General of Registration, Gandhinagar) was transferred and appointed as Superintendent of Stamps & Inspector General of Registration, Gandhinagar.

Jenu Devan, (2006 batch), Secretary to Government, Finance Department (Expenditure), would hold the additional charge of the post of Revenue Inspection Commissioner & Ex-officio Secretary to Government, Revenue Department, until further orders.

Rachit Raj, (2014 batch), Director of Scheduled Castes Welfare, Gandhinagar, was transferred and appointed as Director of Tribal Development, Gandhinagar, relieving Ashish Kumar from the additional charge of the post. Rachit Raj will continue to hold the additional charge of the post of Director of Scheduled Castes Welfare, Gandhinagar until further orders.

Harshil R. Meena, (2021 batch), was appointed as District Development Officer of Mehsana, relieving P. B. Rathod from the additional charge of the post.