Even chief minister’s written request to PM Modi did not work and the senior IAS officer empanelled by Centre to hold Secretary rank post was debarred for appointment to the post of secretary in Govt of India.

The Centre has reportedly debarred senior IAS officer Alok Tandon (IAS:1986:UP) who is serving in the state as Chairman of the Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway Industrial Development Authority and PICUP together with the Commissioner of Infrastructure and Industrial Development (IIDC).

People in power corridors are puzzled as why did the Centre do so?

If some top sources are to be believed Tandon did not join at Centre after it appointed him, on October 22, as Secretary of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG) along with the additional charge of Secretary of Pension and Pensioner's Welfare. Finally, the Centre appointed Shivaji (IAS:1987:MH) as Secretary of the department which Tandon failed to take up.  

The state government had requested the Centre exempt him from central deployment for another 12 months. Top sources at Centre say that it was Tandon who did not want to join DARPG and had requested the State Govt to write to Centre for exempting him for another 12 months.

He was appointed Chairman of UP Financial Corporation last night. Even though Tandon has a little less than three years to retire (i.e. Sept 2022), his prospects to become Secretary at Centre appears to have ceased for now.