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Deepak Kumar gets new Bihar disaster management role (Img: X)
Patna: Senior IAS officer Deepak Kumar has been removed from his position as Principal Secretary to Bihar Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary. According to an order issued on Wednesday, he will now serve as Vice-Chairman of the Bihar State Disaster Management Authority (BSDMA).
Kumar, a 1984-batch IAS officer, had served as Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister for around five-and-a-half years and remained an important part of the functioning of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Deepak Kumar retired from government service on March 20, 2021, but was entrusted with the responsibility of Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister the following day, on March 21.
During his tenure, he played a key coordination role between the CMO and various departments of the Bihar government. His new appointment takes him to the state’s disaster-management body, where the position of Vice-Chairman had fallen vacant following the completion of Uday Kant Mishra’s tenure.
Kumar’s appointment comes as Bihar continues to deal with recurring floods, heavy rainfall and other natural disasters, particularly during the monsoon season.
The BSDMA is responsible for strengthening disaster preparedness, coordinating with government departments and supporting measures aimed at disaster mitigation, response and relief.
Kumar has held several important positions during his long administrative career, both at the district and state levels.
He has served as District Magistrate in around 13 districts, including Buxar, Nalanda, Hazaribagh and Motihari. His experience at the state level includes assignments in the Health, Urban Development, General Administration, Cabinet, Tourism, and Information and Public Relations departments.
These roles gave Kumar experience in field administration as well as policy formulation and implementation at the state level.
He also held significant positions during central deputation, including Director General of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) and Chairman of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
As Vice-Chairman of the BSDMA, Kumar will be associated with an institution responsible for strengthening the state’s preparedness and response mechanisms during emergencies.
The authority works on disaster preparedness, risk reduction, inter-departmental coordination, relief planning and response during floods, droughts, cyclones, heavy rainfall and other emergencies.
Flood management is particularly important in Bihar, where several districts face recurring inundation during the monsoon. Monitoring river levels, strengthening embankments, preparing relief camps and ensuring timely delivery of assistance remain key priorities for the state administration.
Kumar’s appointment therefore places an experienced administrator in a role focused on one of Bihar’s continuing governance challenges.
