The state was expected to have a full-time chief secretary (CS) after the retirement of acting CS Debashish Chakrabarty on February 28, but the government on Tuesday sprang a surprise by giving him a permanent charge of the office with retrospective effect from November 30, 2021.

The order, issued by Additional Chief Secretary (personnel) Sujata Saunik, stated that Chakrabarty was regularised in the office of CS by the order of Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray. He has been given the additional charge of the planning commission.