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Dr Shrikar Pardeshi is PM’s pick for secy to Dy CM Devendra Fadnavis

Pune: In one of the first big appointments of the Shinde-Fadnavis government, 2001-batch IAS officer Dr Shrikar Pardeshi has been named secretary to Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, an official said.

In another key appointment on Tuesday evening, IAS officer Ashwini Bhide—who powered the Mumbai Metro network—has been brought back to helm the metro projects. Bhide was given the additional charge as Managing Director, Mumbai Metro Rail Corp. Ltd, to replace SVR Srinivas. Hours before her appointment, a crucial meeting to speed up land acquisition and rehabilitation of the project affected people for Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train took place at Thane Collector Rajesh Narvekar’s office. 

First India had first reported that metro and bullet train projects will be accorded the top priority by the new government in Maharashtra.

The former municipal commissioner of Pimpri Chinchwad, Dr Pardeshi served in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) from April 2015 till June 2020 in various capacities like director and joint secretary. He returned to the parent cadre of Maharashtra last year and was posted as the managing director of the state government’s SICOM.

Dr Pardeshi said, “I was posted as the MD, SICOM between June 1 and June 30, last year. After that, I went to John Hopkins University to pursue a Master’s degree in public health.”

Dr Pardeshi was the commissioner of the Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) from 2012 to 2014 when he took a firm stand against illegal constructions, earning the tag of “demolition man”.

Both area residents citizen groups and political parties staged protests when he was abruptly transferred from the PCMC by the then Congress-NCP government.

“Devendra Fadnavis wanted one Pardeshi to work with him, but the PM has given him another Pardeshi,” said a senior BJP leader, referring to retired IAS officer Praveen Pardeshi, who has also been given responsibility for capacity-building projects by the Centre, and is tipped to return to Maharashtra as a key adviser to Fadnavis.  

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