Imphal, Aug 30 (IANS) Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh hosted the outgoing Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel at his official residence and lauded his contributions to the administration, particularly towards the resettlement of violence-affected internally displaced persons and restoration of peace in the state.
Goel, a 1991-batch Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre IAS officer, has been serving as the Chief Secretary of Manipur since July 21, 2025, and is set to retire on August 31.
The outgoing Chief Secretary was accompanied by his wife on the occasion on Saturday evening.
The Chief Minister expressed his gratitude to Goel for his dedication and selfless service towards the welfare of the people of Manipur during his tenure as the state’s top bureaucrat.
Chief Minister Singh highlighted Goel’s significant contributions to the administration, particularly his sincere efforts towards the resettlement and rehabilitation of violence-affected internally displaced persons (IDPs) and initiatives aimed at restoring peace and normalcy in the state.
The Chief Minister extended his best wishes to Goel for his future endeavours and wished him a long, healthy and fulfilling life after his retirement from government service.
Goel’s tenure as the Chief Secretary was marked by a focus on administrative efficiency, governance and public service at a time when Manipur continued to face major challenges arising from the ethnic violence and the large-scale displacement of people.
Before taking charge as the Chief Secretary of Manipur, Goel had served as the Chief Secretary of Goa. He assumed charge as the Chief Secretary of Manipur from his predecessor Prashant Kumar Singh on July 21, 2025.
Before his appointment to the top bureaucratic post in Manipur, Goel had also served as the Secretary of the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes. His appointment as Manipur Chief Secretary came at a crucial time when the state was grappling with ethnic unrest and the complex task of rehabilitation and resettlement of thousands of people displaced by the violence.
The appointment was seen as an important administrative move to ensure stability, effective governance and the implementation of urgent humanitarian and development-related commitments in the violence-hit state.
Senior officials had then said that Goel’s experience in administration, steady leadership and policy execution would be crucial in managing the state’s complex situation and addressing the challenges arising from the prolonged ethnic conflict.
More than 260 people have been killed and around 70,000 people belonging to different communities rendered homeless in the ethnic violence between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo-Hmar communities since May 3, 2023.
–IANS
sc/khz
