Draft:Suresh Kumar

Suresh Kumar (born 4 April 1956) is a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and former Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister of Punjab. Over a public service career spanning more than four decades, he has held senior administrative, policy, and development positions in the Government of Punjab, Government of India, and the United Nations system. His work covers governance reforms, economic administration, public finance, rural development, water and power sector management, cooperative restructuring, and large-scale programme design with the World Bank and UN agencies.

Even after retirement, Kumar continues to contribute to public policy as a researcher, advisor, writer and commentator on governance, sustainability, federalism, agriculture, and institutional reform.

Early life and education

Kumar was born in Sonepat, Haryana. He completed a Bachelor of Commerce (1973–1976) and a Master of Commerce (1976–1978) from the University of Delhi.

In 1994–95, he earned a Master’s degree in Social Policy and Planning from the London School of Economics, specialising in education and rural development. His academic training informed his later work in social sector policy, governance design, and development planning.

Civil service career

Government of Punjab

Kumar joined the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) in 1983 and served in numerous senior roles, including:

• Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister (2017–2021)
• Financial Commissioner Development and Principal Secretary, Water Supply & Sanitation (2013–2016)
• Principal Secretary, Water Supply & Sanitation; Science, Technology & Environment (2012–2013)
• Principal Secretary, Local Government (2012)
• Financial Commissioner, Cooperation; Principal Secretary, Technical Education & Industrial Training; Chairman, Punjab State Board of Technical Education (2010–2012)
• Principal Secretary / Secretary, Irrigation & Power (2007–2009)
• Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister (2003–2007)
• Chief Administrator, Punjab Urban Planning & Development Authority (2003)
• Excise & Taxation Commissioner (2002–2003)
• Registrar, Cooperative Societies (1999–2002)
• Director, Technical Education & Industrial Training (1992–1993)
• Deputy Commissioner, Ferozepur (1990–1992)
• Additional Deputy Commissioner, Amritsar (1987–1989)
• SDO (Civil), Talwandi Sabo (1985–1987)

Government of India

• Deputy Secretary (Training), DoPT (1993–1994)
• Private Secretary to the Minister of State for Education (1995–1996)
• Deputy Secretary, Elementary Education, MHRD (1996–1997)

United Nations

• Consultant and National Programme Manager, UN System Community-Based Primary Education Programme (1997–1999)

Professional Focus

Kumar’s areas of expertise include:

• Governance reforms and public administration
• Rural development, agriculture policy, and cooperative restructuring
• Water and power sector governance
• Business process re-engineering
• Programme design with the World Bank and UN systems
• High-level governance coordination and public policy formulation

Major initiatives and achievements

Kumar has been associated with several significant policy reforms and development projects, including:

Policy and governance reforms

• Punjab Anti-Red Tape Act 2021
• Punjab Social Security Fund Act 2019
• Punjab Slum Dwellers (Proprietary Rights) Act 2020
• Punjab Municipal Property (Management and Transfer) Act 2020
• Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojna (2018)
• VAT implementation in Punjab (2005)
• Cooperative reforms (1999–2002)
• Punjab BPR Report (2008)
• Punjab State Water Policy (2007–08)
• Power Sector Reforms Roadmap (2010)

Water, rural development, and infrastructure

• Punjab Rural Drinking Water Supply & Sanitation Projects – World Bank

1. US$154M (Phase I)
2. US$354M (Phase II)

• Punjab Rural Water Supply Policy (2014)
• Water resource development projects worth ₹7352 crore

Energy sector

Oversaw the establishment of three major private-sector power plants:

• Talwandi Sabo – 1980 MW
• Rajpura – 1320 MW
• Goindwal Sahib – 540 MW
• Total private investment: over ₹20,000 crore
• Conceptualization of Energy Sector Reforms in Punjab

Agriculture and education initiatives

• State Agriculture Diversification Plan (₹8775 crore)
• Technical Education & ITI Upgradation (World Bank supported)
• Technician Education Development Programme (1992–93)
• Punjab Technical Education Board Act (1993)
• Operation Blackboard implementation (1995–96)
• Mid-Day Meal Scheme expansion for 110 million children (1995–96)
• RTE Fundamental Right Report (1997)
• Inter-State Teacher Exchange Programme (1997–99)

Education, training, and international exposure

Kumar has received extensive training from institutions, including:

• SDG Academy (2024): Global Water Crisis, Ethics in Action
• IMF (2022): Debt Sustainability Framework
• World Bank OLC (2022): Smart Cities, Digital Agriculture, Quality Infrastructure
• University of Edinburgh (2022): Sustainable Global Food Systems
• UC Berkeley (2019): Writing for Social Justice
• LBSNAA (2011): Mid-Career Phase V
• Columbia University (2011): Governance Programme
• IIM Bangalore (2011), IIM Ahmedabad (1989)
• TERI (1994)
• Multiple international workshops in Nepal, Thailand, Mexico, China, UK, USA, and Austria (1994–2012)

Honours, awards, and memberships

• Advisor, Global Policy Insights (2022–present)
• Independent Director, Vardhman Textiles Ltd (from 2022)
• Independent Director, UPL Ltd (from 2022)
• International Policy Fellow, Centre for Science and Policy (CSaP), Cambridge (2019–2023)
• TIGR2ESS Project, University of Cambridge (2020–2022)
• Member-Convener, Inter-UN Working Group (Primary Education)
• Member, UN Gender Database Group
• UK ODA Scholarship – LSE
• Delhi University M.Com merit certificate (4th rank, 1978)
• Second rank in B.Com (1976)
• National scholarship and merit certificate

Publications and references

Governance & Public Policy

• Democracy prevails despite political fluctuations – Hindustan Times
• Our country needs more participatory governance – Hindustan Times
• Governance paradigm shift: Majoritarian authoritarianism vs participatory democracy – ET Government
• Changing governance paradigms – Hindustan Times epaper
• Financial centralisation threat to federal structure – Hindustan Times epaper
• Good governance more essential than economic growth – ET Government
• Leveraging bureaucracy for effective public service delivery – Hindustan Times
• Pandemic unveils the politics of expertise – Hindustan Times
• Politics of policymaking – Millennium Post
• Transition to evidence-based policies – Hindustan Times epaper
• Punjab issues need attention – Hindustan Times epaper
• Is change in Punjab for real? – Tribune
• It’s time to reboot India’s broken policy machine – Hindustan Times
• Opinions differ, but differences matter – Hindustan Times
• Cooperatives present a democratic business model – ET Government
• Thriving in harmony – Millennium Post
• Stubble trouble Part-II – Hindustan Times epaper
• Repeal of farm laws reflects fading institutional memory – Hindustan Times epaper
• Fiscal management & public debt – Hindustan Times epaper
• Changing imperatives of governance – Hindustan Times epaper

Sustainability & Water Governance

• Towards sustainable governance – ET Government
• Water Governance: Unlocking Sustainable Development in Punjab – Hindustan Times
• Water Governance: Unlocking Sustainable Development in Punjab – ET Government
• Punjab's water woes: Beneficiary states should share burden – HT epaper
• Perceived limitations of MDGs forced SDGs – ET Government
• Stubble trouble: Are farmers solely to blame? – ET Government
• Sutlej river basin needs integrated management – HT epaper
• Buddha Nallah: A toxic story of industrialisation – Tribune
• AI in governance – ET Government
• Leveraging history in policymaking – ET Government
• Disconnect in farm governance (related to sustainability) – HT epaper
• Stubble trouble Part-II – HT epaper
• Reclaiming integrity through transparent governance – HT epaper
• Media moderation in governance – HT epaper
• The travel spice: An avoidable bitterness – Daily World
• Towards sustainable governance, embracing change for collective welfare – Hindustan Times
• Sustainable development needs comprehensive roadmap – HT epaper
• Balancing heritage with sustainable development – ET Government

Agriculture & Food Systems

• Diversify MSP to empower farmers – Tribune
• What ails Indian agriculture? – Daily World
• Need to enhance resilience of farmers – Daily World
• Agricultural transformation demands intensive care – ET Government
• Withering cotton cultivation in Punjab – HT epaper
• Disconnect in farm governance – HT epaper
• Sri Lankan economy collapsed due to flawed agriculture policy – ET Government
• Address inherent flaws & disparities in NEET – Hindustan Times
• Disconnect in agricultural governance: bridging the gap – ET Government
• Punjab’s agriculture policy needs to be more nuanced – Hindustan Times
• Add value to agriculture for its transformation – Hindustan Times
• Why diversification hasn't enthused farmers – Daily World epaper PDF
• Farm legislations fail to enthuse farmers – ET Government
• In the end, right remains right – Tribune epaper
• Farmers hit the road again, govt at crossroads – HT epaper

Budget, Finance & Economy

• Aligning fund devolution with changing growth imperatives – Hindustan Times
• Navigating the future of finance in Punjab – HT epaper
• Corporate governance in PSEs: BRSR fundamentals – ET Government
• How private is private investment? – ET Government
• AI in governance: strategic investments & collaboration – ET Government
• Indus Water Treaty sustains fragile hope of peace – Hindustan Times
• Withering cotton cultivation in Punjab – HT epaper
• Thriving in harmony – Millennium Post

Languages and computing skills

• English, Hindi, Punjabi
• Skilled in word processing, spreadsheets, and databases

Personal life

Kumar lives in Chandigarh with his family. His interests include reading, writing, cricket, and badminton. He remains actively involved in advisory work, academic lectures, and governance research.

Gallery

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  Suresh Kumar, and his wife Dr Anita Nangia with elder son Vaibhav and his daughter Roohi
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  Suresh Kumar, with wife Dr Anita Nangia and younger son Anish Nangia and his wife Shilpa.
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  Suresh Kumar and his wife Dr Anita Nangia with their elder son Vaibhav Nangia and his wife Anumeha with their daughter Roohi
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  Suresh Kumar and his wife Dr Anita Nangia