Outgoing Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi appointed Chief Financial Advisor West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata: A day after BP Gopalika took charge as new Chief Secretary of West Bengal government, outgoing state Chief Secretary HK Dwivedi became Chief Financial Advisor Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, a day after his retirement.

Dwivedi retired on Sunday (December 31) after enjoying an extension of six months and BP Gopalika was appointed the new Chief Secretary. Gopalika was the Home Secretary before taking up the charge in the new position.

Dwivedi has huge experience and has efficiently handed financial matters since he was the Additional Chief Secretary in the state’s Finance department for a long duration.


“The Chief Minister was keen to retain him as the Chief Financial Advisor to utilise his experience and expertise in handling the financial affairs of the state,” sources in the state secretariat said.

Dwivedi’s predecessor Alapan Bandyopadhyay was retained by the Chief Minister’s principal advisor following his retirement as the Chief Secretary. This is not the first time the Chief Minister has retained top bureaucrat in advisory positions after their retirement.

Former Finance Minister Amit Mitra has also been retained as Chief minister’s advisor after he decided to retire from his political career due to his ailing health.

Nandini Chakravorty, a 1994-batch IAS officer, took over as West Bengal Home Secretary on Sunday from the incumbent B.P. Gopalika, who was promoted to chief secretary after H.K. Dwivedi’s retirement.