A. K. Sharma

Arvind Kumar Sharma
Minister of Urban Development
Government of Uttar Pradesh
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 March 2022
Chief MinisterYogi Adityanath
Preceded byAshutosh Tandon
Minister of Energy
Government of Uttar Pradesh
Incumbent
Assumed office
25 March 2022
Chief MinisterYogi Adityanath
Preceded byShrikant Sharma
Member of Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council
Incumbent
Assumed office
31 January 2021
Constituencyelected by Legislative Assembly members
Personal details
BornArvind Kumar Sharma
(1962-07-11) 11 July 1962[1]
Mau, Uttar Pradesh, India
PartyBharatiya Janata Party
ProfessionIAS officer, Politician
WebsiteOfficial website

Arvind Kumar Sharma (born 11 July 1962) is an Indian politician from Uttar Pradesh, former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer and bureaucrat of 1988 batch. He is currently a Cabinet Minister in Uttar Pradesh.[2][3] Before joining politics, Sharma was an IAS officer from Gujarat Cadre of the 1988 batch.[4][5] Sharma was an aide of Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi, with whom he had worked for 20 years. He was also CEO, Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board and has also managed multiple Vibrant Gujarat summits. He joined the Prime Minister's Office as a Joint Secretary in 2014 and was elevated to the Additional Secretary rank in 2017.[6][7] In 2019, he moved out of the PMO to become a secretary in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises but took voluntary retirement in January 2021.[8]

Early life and education

Arvind Kumar Sharma was born in Uttar Pradesh’s Mau district to Shri Shivmurti Sharma and Shrimati Sharma. He completed schooling from his home district before graduating from Allahabad University. He pursued a master's degree in political science before joining the civil services.[9] [10]

Work in Gujarat

In 1988, Sharma became a civil servant and started his career as an IAS officer with the Gujarat cadre. His first posting was as a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM). In 1995, he took charge as the District Magistrate of Mehsana.[11] After Narendra Modi came to power in Gujarat in 2001, Sharma joined the Chief Minister’s Office as a Secretary and remained there till 2014 before shifting to the Centre.[12] Sharma worked in the Government of Gujarat as District Development Officer in Vadodara, Managing Director of Industrial Extension Bureau, and the CEO of Gujarat Infrastructure Development Board (GIDB).[13] He set up the Gujarat section of the dedicated freight corridor and Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor as well as Dholera Special Investment Region.[14][15]

Work in PMO

Arvind Kumar Sharma remained as Secretary in Chief Minister’s Office till 2014 when Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister. He then joined the PMO as a Joint Secretary in 2014 and was elevated to the Additional Secretary rank in 2017.[16] After his long stint in the PMO, Sharma was entrusted with the charge of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) ministry.[17]

A K Sharma with PM Narendra Modi

Work in MSME

MSME-Champions (Creation and Harmonious Application of Modern Processes for Increasing the Output and National Strength) is an ICT-based (Information and Communication Technology) platform launched by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India. It was launched on 9 May 2020 with the objective of providing support to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) during challenging circumstances and assisting them in becoming competitive at national and international levels.[18][19]

The idea for developing an ICT-based support system was proposed by A. K. Sharma after assuming charge as Secretary of the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises on the evening of 30 April 2020.[20] The MSME-Champions portal was developed as an integrated platform to address the concerns of MSMEs and provide assistance related to areas such as grievance resolution, guidance, finance, market access, and technology adoption.[21][22]

Voluntary retirement and entry into politics

Arvind Kumar Sharma sought retirement in January 2021 from civil services, 18 months before his due retirement. A few days after his voluntary retirement, Sharma joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Uttar Pradesh.[23] He was appointed as a vice-president of the Uttar Pradesh BJP unit and was elected as a Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) of Uttar Pradesh.[24]

In 2021 he worked on the COVID-19 epidemic in Varanasi,[25] during which COVID cases in the city were reduced from over 1,000 to under 300. Sharma offered 53,000 medical kits and other aid to manage CSR funds. He also supported other functionaries of BJP to in COVID mitigation work, and helped authorities to disseminate alternative medicine in the most affected areas.[26] He also led the establishment of the Kashi COVID response center.[27][28][29]

Cabinet Minister of UP

Arvind Kumar Sharma (A. K. Sharma) is a Cabinet Minister in the Government of Uttar Pradesh. He holds the portfolios of Urban Development, Urban Employment and Poverty Alleviation, Energy, and Additional Sources of Energy in the Yogi Adityanath government.[30][31]

SAMBHAV Portal-

As Minister in charge of the Urban Development and Energy departments of the Government of Uttar Pradesh, A. K. Sharma launched the SAMBHAV (Systematic Administration Mechanism for Bringing Happiness and Value) portal. The ICT-based platform was introduced to facilitate the monitoring and redressal of public grievances and to oversee the implementation of government programmes, schemes, projects, and policies related to the Urban Development and Energy departments. The portal was launched with the stated objective of improving transparency, accountability, and the efficiency of public service delivery.[32][33]

During his tenure as Uttar Pradesh's Energy Minister, the state recorded a peak power supply of 31,804 MW in May 2026. This was the highest peak electricity supply achieved by any Indian state at the time, making Uttar Pradesh the first state in the country to cross the 31,800 MW mark in peak power supply.[34][35]

References

  1. ↑ "Civil List of IAS Officers". dtf.in. Retrieved 20 November 2023.
  2. ↑ Zee Media Bureau. "PM मोदी के करीबी IAS एके शर्मा को मिली बड़ी जिम्मेदारी, बनाए गए नगर विकास और ऊर्जा मंत्री". zeenews.india.com. Retrieved 28 March 2022.
  3. ↑ Hindustan, Times (19 June 2021). "BJP appoints former IAS officer AK Sharma as vice president of Uttar Pradesh unit". HindustanTimes.com. Archived from the original on 19 June 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  4. ↑ "Why A K Sharma is not just another Gujarat bureaucrat in the PM's circle or just another vice-president in Uttar Pradesh BJP". Indian Express. 27 June 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  5. ↑ "Not end of road for Modi's trusted IAS officer who took VRS, he could play bigger role in govt". The Wire. 13 January 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  6. ↑ "New BJP member Arvind Sharma is part of Modi's Mission 2022 in UP". India Today. 17 January 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  7. ↑ "PM Modi's Trusted Officer Of 20 Years Joins BJP, May Get Big UP Role". NDTV. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  8. ↑ "Gujarat cadre IAS officer Arvind Kumar Sharma may be made minister in Yogi govt". Hundustan Times. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
  9. ↑ GULAM JEELANI. "Who is AK Sharma, ex- bureaucrat who retired to join BJP in Uttar Pradesh". Money Control. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  10. ↑ Shashi Mishra. "Gujarat Cadre IAS Arvind Kumar Sharma Know all about him". Navbharat Times. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  11. ↑ NEWS18.COM (19 June 2021). "From Gujarat CMO to PMO: How IAS Officer AK Sharma Became 'Modi's Man'". News 18. Retrieved 19 June 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ FreepressJournal. "Who is AK Sharma? All you need to know about". FreepressJournal. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
  13. ↑ theprint.com (13 January 2021). "Modi's key man in Gujarat". theprint. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  14. ↑ Rajiv Shah (4 January 2013). "Demand for scarce Narmada waters for Dholera special investm A K Sharma". Times of India. Retrieved 4 January 2013.
  15. ↑ Nivedita Mookerji & Premal Balan. "Vibrant Gujarat man is India Inc's PMO pointsman". Business Standard. Retrieved 17 July 2014.
  16. ↑ Rahi Gaikwad (31 May 2014). "2 bureaucrats from Gujarat move to PMO". The Hindu. Retrieved 31 May 2014.
  17. ↑ India, Press Trust of. "A K Sharma takes charge as MSME Secretary". business standard. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  18. ↑ "MSMEs bet big on PM Modi's Champions portal as number of complaints resolved jumps 3X - The Financial Express". Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  19. ↑ Livemint (24 June 2023). "MSME ministry to launch Champions 2.0 portal and app for geo-tagging of cluster projects". Mint. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  20. ↑ Moushumi Das Gupta (28 April 2020). "Loyalty and performance: Why Modi appointed trusted men to helm crucial ministries amid Covid". ThePrint. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  21. ↑ "Coronavirus Lockdown: MSME Ministry launches Champion portal to solve problems of small entrepreneurs within seven days". Dainik Bhaskar. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  22. ↑ Pradeep Yadav (2 June 2020). "'Champions' portal to resolve MSME grievances within 7 days". The Economic Times. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
  23. ↑ Outlook India. "Gujarat cadre IAS officer joins BJP after taking VRS". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 29 July 2021. Retrieved 14 January 2021.
  24. ↑ "Ex-IAS officer to head BJP's UP unit". The Hindu. 19 June 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  25. ↑ Kumar Anshuman (15 April 2021). "Ex IAS officer and BJP MLC AK Sharma steps in to control worsening Varanasi pandemic". Economic Times. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  26. ↑ Pankaj Shah (21 May 2021). "PM Narendra Modi's aide at helm of relief operations in East". Times of India. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  27. ↑ Pib. "PM Narendra Modi Kashi COVID response center". pib.gov.in. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  28. ↑ Neetu Chandra Sharma (18 April 2021). "PM takes stock of Varanasi infections as caseload continues to climb". Live mint. Retrieved 18 April 2021.
  29. ↑ timesofindia (20 May 2021). "Prime Minister Narendra Modi praises Kashi model to curb Covid". The Times of India. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  30. ↑ "Former PMO official, A K Sharma, takes oath as minister in Yogi 2.0 Cabinet". The Economic Times. The Times Group. PTI. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  31. ↑ "Former PMO official, A K Sharma, takes oath as minister in Yogi 2.0 Cabinet". ThePrint. ANI. 25 March 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  32. ↑ "Uttar Pradesh minister AK Sharma launches SAMBHAV portal to effectively dispose public grievances". Firstpost. Network18. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  33. ↑ "UP energy minister AK Sharma launches 'SAMBHAV' portal to monitor grievances, schemes". Hindustan Times. 18 May 2022. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  34. ↑ "UP meets 32,348 MW peak power demand, creates national record: Minister". ETEnergyworld. The Economic Times. PTI. 22 June 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
  35. ↑ "उत्तर प्रदेश ने बिजली सप्लाई में बनाया नया रिकॉर्ड, 31,804 MW तक पहुंची पीक डिमांड: ऊर्जा मंत्री ए.के. शर्मा". Aaj Tak (in Hindi). TV Today Network. 25 May 2026. Retrieved 28 July 2026.
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