Former UP Tourism Director General and Secretary Mr. Amrit Abhijat, IAS, is the new Principal Secretary for Tourism, Culture, and Charitable Works, while Mr. Rajesh Kumar, IAS, takes over as the Director General of Tourism.
In a significant bureaucratic reshuffle aimed at boosting Uttar Pradesh’s tourism and cultural sectors, the Yogi Adityanath Government has appointed two senior IAS officers to key leadership positions in the state’s Tourism Department.
Mr. Amrit Abhijat, IAS (1995 batch, Uttar Pradesh cadre), has been appointed as the new Principal Secretary for Tourism, Culture, and Charitable Works, with Mr. Rajesh Kumar-II, IAS (2009 batch, Uttar Pradesh cadre), taking over as the Director General of Tourism. Both officers are expected to play pivotal roles in advancing Uttar Pradesh’s vision to emerge as India’s leading tourism destination.
The positions were previously held by Mukesh Kumar Meshram, IAS, who had been steering the department since 2020. Mr. Meshram has now been reassigned as Principal Secretary in the Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development, and Fisheries Department.
Mr. Amrit Abhijat, who earlier served as Principal Secretary for Urban Development, Urban Employment, and Poverty Alleviation, brings extensive experience in urban governance and infrastructure planning. In his new role, he will oversee initiatives to strengthen tourism infrastructure, preserve cultural heritage, and enhance religious tourism across the state. He will also hold the additional charge of the Religious Affairs Department. He previously served as the Secretary and Director General for the Tourism & Culture Department during the 2014-2015 period.
He has been a pivotal figure in reshaping the urban development landscape of the state. At the Centre, he held prominent positions such as the Mission Director of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Urban) and Joint Secretary under the Ministry of Housing & Urban Affairs, overseeing one of the world’s largest Affordable Housing programmes. He played a key role in the Smart City initiative, overseeing the allocation of ₹100 crore each to seven cities (Ayodhya, Gorakhpur, Mathura, Shahjahanpur, Meerut, Ghaziabad, and Firozabad). He also chairs the Governing Council of the Regional Centre for Urban and Environmental Studies (RCUES), Lucknow. His earlier state service includes roles as Secretary to the Government of U.P. Home and Vigilance Department, Chief Development Officer at Mathura, and District Collector in various districts including Hamirpur, Prayagraj, Deoria, Jhansi, Muzaffarnagar, Kanpur, and Agra. His vast experience as District Collector of major tourism destinations and his prior hands-on experience as Director General and Secretary of UP Tourism will give him a broader vision and administrative ability to steer Uttar Pradesh’s tourism sector to the next level. Mr. Abhijat is an alumnus of Kirori Mal College (University of Delhi) and the University of Sussex. He hails from Munger, Bihar.
Mr. Rajesh Kumar, who previously served as Commissioner in the Food Safety and Drug Administration Department, assumes the position of Director General of the Uttar Pradesh Tourism Department. His responsibilities include overseeing tourism operations, implementing strategic initiatives, and driving the state’s ambitious tourism growth plans.
The Uttar Pradesh government is actively working to position the state as the number one tourism destination in India, targeting both domestic and international markets. The state aims to contribute significantly toward its goal of becoming a ₹1 trillion economy by 2047 through enhanced tourism development and cultural promotion. With these new appointments, the state government expects to accelerate tourism infrastructure projects, expand destination marketing efforts, and integrate cultural and religious heritage into its broader tourism strategy, aligning with Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s vision for a globally recognized tourism-driven economy.
