The Uttar Pradesh government has undertaken a significant administrative reshuffle on September 16, 2025, transferring 16 IAS officers across the state. The move, announced on Tuesday evening shortly after Chief Secretary SP Goyal returned to Lucknow, includes the removal of Roshan Jacob as the Commissioner of Lucknow Division. Vijay Vishwas Pant has been appointed as her successor in the key post overseeing the state capital’s administrative affairs.
This bureaucratic overhaul also affects other major divisions, with changes in the Commissioners of Bareilly and Prayagraj. The transfers are seen as part of routine administrative streamlining under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s administration, focusing on key departments and regional governance.
Key appointments and shifts include:
- Vijay Vishwas Pant as Divisional Commissioner, Lucknow (previously in another role).
- Roshan Jacob, a 2004-batch IAS officer from Kerala, transferred to Secretary, Food Safety and Drug Administration.
- Ranjan Kumar removed from Principal Secretary, Food Safety.
- Suhas L Y given additional charge of Director General, Youth Welfare and Enforcement Guard.
- Chaitra V as Director General, AYUSH.
- Sanjay Kumar Khatri as In-charge CEO, Bundelkhand Industrial Development Authority.
- Kanchan Verma as Commissioner and Secretary, Revenue Council.
- Monica Rani as In-charge Director General, School Education.
These changes come amid ongoing efforts to bolster administrative efficiency in sectors like health, education, and urban development. Roshan Jacob, who assumed the Lucknow Commissioner role in 2022, was known for her hands-on approach, including during flood relief and urban management initiatives. No official reasons were cited for the transfers, which are typical in UP’s bureaucracy to ensure fresh perspectives and accountability.
