The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has extended the term of IAS officer Avneesh Awasthi by another year, prioritizing administrative experience. He will continue serving as Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's advisor until February 28, 2026.
Lucknow: The tenure of Avneesh Awasthi, a former IAS officer and advisor to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, has been extended by one year. He will now remain in this position until February 28, 2026. This is the third extension of his term. A 1987 batch IAS officer, Awasthi retired on August 31, 2022, and was subsequently appointed as the Chief Minister's advisor. During his career, he held important portfolios including Home, Information, and Power.
Third Term Extension
The Uttar Pradesh government appointed Avneesh Awasthi, a retired 1987 batch IAS officer, as advisor to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath after his retirement in 2022. His term has been extended twice previously—first from 2023 to 2024, and then from 2024 to 2025. This is the third extension of his tenure.
Awasthi is considered a highly trusted officer of Yogi Adityanath. He has held several key positions, including the Home Department, Information Department, and Power Department. Major projects in UP, such as the Purvanchal Expressway and Bundelkhand Expressway, were completed during his career.
Administrative Journey and Contributions
Awasthi earned a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kanpur in 1985 and joined the Indian Administrative Service in 1987. During his career, he served as District Magistrate (DM) in Lalitpur, Budaun, Azamgarh, Varanasi, Faizabad, Meerut, and Gorakhpur. He also served as the Chairman and Managing Director of UPPCL.
After Yogi Adityanath became Chief Minister in 2017, Awasthi returned from deputation with the central government and held various key positions in Uttar Pradesh. He also served as the Home Secretary and CEO of U.P. DIAL.
The extension of Avneesh Awasthi's term signifies the Yogi government's emphasis on administrative experience. With his term now extended until 2026, it will be interesting to observe his contribution to the government's policies and development plans in the coming years.
