Senior IAS officer Rajeev Singh Thakur is likely to be appointed the next Chief Secretary of Manipur after the Centre approved his inter-cadre deputation to the state.The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the transfer of Thakur, a 1995-batch IAS officer of the Rajasthan cadre, to the Manipur cadre by curtailing his ongoing central deputation.Under the approval, his inter-cadre deputation will continue until June 30, 2029, when he is due to retire. The extension has been approved as a relaxation of the existing deputation policy.The proposal for his transfer was moved by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).Thakur’s appointment as Chief Secretary is expected to be formally notified by the Manipur Government. His appointment comes at a critical juncture for the state, which continues efforts to restore peace and normalcy following the prolonged ethnic conflict.He is currently serving as Programme Director for Administration, Governance and Reforms, and Infrastructure Connectivity at the government think tank NITI Aayog.