Naga Woman IAS to ‘Man’ Forest & Climate Desk in Yogi’s UP
V Hekali Zhimomi IAS Uttar Pradesh.
Yogi Adityanath appoints senior IAS officer V Hekali Zhimomi as Principal Secretary, Forest, Environment & Climate Change in politically crucial Uttar Pradesh.
By NIRENDRA DEV
New Delhi, February 19, 2026 — In a key administrative reshuffle with political undertones, the Yogi Adityanath government has appointed senior IAS officer V Hekali Zhimomi (IAS:1996:UP) as Principal Secretary, Forest, Environment & Climate Change Department.
Zhimomi, who returned to her parent cadre Uttar Pradesh in November 2025 after central deputation, had been awaiting a posting. She was repatriated on November 8, 2025, nearly a year before completing her five-year central tenure. At the Centre, she served as Additional Secretary in the Department of Health & Family Welfare, having earlier been Joint Secretary since September 2021.
With her appointment, Anil Kumar has been relieved of the Forest portfolio. He had been holding additional charge of the Forest, Environment & Climate Change Department alongside Panchayati Raj.
While the posting may appear routine, its timing is significant. Uttar Pradesh heads into Assembly elections by February–March 2027 — a politically high-stakes contest for the ruling BJP. The state, which sends 80 MPs to Parliament, remains central to the party’s national calculus.
The Bharatiya Janata Party faces visible anti-incumbency as it approaches a decade in power in Uttar Pradesh. Its performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections showed signs of strain, even as the opposition led by Akhilesh Yadav seeks to consolidate gains.
The 2027 Assembly elections will also coincide with electoral battles in Manipur, Goa, Punjab and Uttarakhand, further intensifying the political landscape.
For the BJP, the Uttar Pradesh verdict carries implications beyond Lucknow. With Presidential elections scheduled for July 2027 and internal leadership equations constantly evolving, political observers see the run-up to 2027 as a defining phase for national power dynamics — including the trajectories of figures like Amit Shah.
Against this backdrop, administrative appointments acquire layered meaning. By placing an experienced officer like V Hekali Zhimomi at the helm of a crucial department linked to environment, climate policy and rural governance, the Yogi government signals both administrative recalibration and political messaging ahead of a decisive electoral cycle.
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