Vijay Kiran Anand is CEO of Invest UP

LUCKNOW: The state govt on Wednesday appointed Vijay Kiran Anand, who played a key role in successful organisation of the 2019 Kumbh and 2025 Maha Kumbh as Mela Adhikari, as the new CEO of Invest UP.

The post was lying vacant ever since the former CEO, Abhishek Prakash, was suspended last month over allegations of corruption.

Anand, who received the official order, will continue to hold the additional charge of Mela Adhikari. He will also function as the secretary in the department of industries.

Talking to TOI, Anand said that he would assume charge as Invest UP CEO on Friday.

Besides his achievements as Mela Adhikari during the 2019 Kumbh and 2025 Maha Kumbh, Vijay Kiran Anand is known for significant works undertaken in the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and Mid-Day Meal schemes while working in the basic education department. His brief stint as mission director of Clean India Mission (Rural) UP under the department of Panchayati Raj is well remembered.

Anand was also the district magistrate of Gorakhpur between July 2021 and June 2022. He was the collector of Unnao when the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) carried out excavations as part of a ‘treasure hunt' in Daundiya Kheda after an influential seer, Shobhan Sarkar, dreamt of gold bounty buried near a temple.

On March 20, the UP govt had removed the then CEO of Invest UP, Abhishek Prakash, following allegations of irregularities in the evaluation process of a proposed solar manufacturing project. A govt press release stated that the inquiry concluded that his conduct could potentially hinder the objectives of the UP Industrial Investment and Employment Promotion Policy 2022, damaging investor confidence and tarnishing the state's image as an investment-friendly destination.

The responsibility of Invest UP was then handed over to additional CEO and LDA vice-chairman Prathmesh Kumar. Earlier, the govt had also approved a revamp of Invest UP to attract more investors.