LUCKNOW: Additional chief secretary, state tax and GST, Sanjiv Mittal, who has got the additional charge of Infrastructure & Industrial Development Commissioner (IIDC) recently, got all praise from finance minister Suresh Khanna who recalled his efforts in tackling the economic slowdown last year.
When Khanna was addressing a press conference at Tilak Hall on Tuesday to announce an interest waiver scheme for traders, Mittal and GST commissioner Amrita Soni were accompanying him.
While reading out facts and figures how the state successfully survived the economic slowdown without any cut in salaries or pension of the government staff, the finance minister praised Mittal for professionally scripting the UP budget for the financial year 2021-22 and leading the government challenge during the slowdown days.
Just a fortnight before the presentation of the state budget on February 21, Mittal was shifted from his post of ACS, finance to the state tax in the same capacity.
However, last fortnight Mittal staged his comeback by getting the portfolio of additonal chief secretary, industry and IIDC and was also handed over the basic education department as the incumbent Renuka Kumar went on 15 days’ leave and is likely to take up her Central deputation soon.
The post of IIDC assumes much significance particularly the way Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath is pursuing the agenda of industrial development in the state.