'Priority to facilitate MPs': Utpal Kumar Singh on becoming Lok Sabha secretary-general

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had appointed retired IAS officer Utpal Kumar Singh as the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha and Lok Sabha Secretariat on Monday. Utpal Kumar Singh was previously posted as a Secretary in the Lok Sabha Secretariat. 

Speaking on the development, he said that his priority would be to facilitate the MPs to the maximum extent and help them in fulfilling their responsibilities.

"It is a privilege to bear this responsibility. I was secretary and got the opportunity to see the working of the Secretariat up close. My priority would be to ensure that we facilitate MPs in the Parliament to the maximum extent and help them in fulfilling their responsibilities," Singh said.

Having 34 years of varied administrative experience, the newly appointed Lok Sabha Secretary-General said, he has handled various responsibilities in the past and is aware of the crucial role the Parliament plays and how its policies affect the lives of the common people.

Utpal also spoke about the construction of the new Parliament building and added that construction will begin this month

"We know that the construction of the ambitious new Parliament building will take time, perhaps less than two years, but we will ensure there is no pollution. We will manage everything smoothly. All agencies involved have taken this into consideration," Singh said.

Utpal is a senior civil servant from the 1986 batch of the Uttarakhand cadre and has served in the central and various state governments in various capacities in diverse sectors of the economy and governance.

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Parliamentary session amid COVID-19

Speaking about the upcoming parliamentary sessions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, he said that the protocols will be modified depending on the risk of the virus whenever the session is called.

"We have taken various challenges in the past and this certainly is a challenging time. My predecessor managed it well. We have met health guidelines to satisfaction of all members. We are in constant touch with various ministries and protocols will be modified accordingly depending on risk whenever the session is called," he said.

Earlier, on November 22, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla while addressing a press conference stated that the Lok Sabha secretariat is ready to hold the session and dates are decided by the government.

(With inputs from agencies)

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