New Delhi [India], December 1 (ANI): Utpal Kumar Singh, who took over as the new Secretary-General of Lok Sabha and Lok Sabha Secretariat on Tuesday, said that his priority would be to facilitate the MPs to the maximum extent and help them in fulfilling their responsibilities.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had appointed retired IAS officer Utpal Kumar Singh, who was previously posted as a Secretary in the Lok Sabha Secretariat, as the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha and Lok Sabha Secretariat.

"It is a privilege to bear this responsibility. I was secretary and got the opportunity to see the working of the Secretariat up close. My priority would be to ensure that we facilitate MPs in the Parliament to the maximum extent and help them in fulfilling their responsibilities," Singh said.

Utpal, who has 34 years of varied administrative experience, said that he has borne various responsibilities in the past and is aware of the crucial role the Parliament plays and how its policies affect the lives of the common people.

Speaking about the construction of the new Parliament building, Singh said the new building is in progress and construction will begin this month. The building construction will be of excellent quality, he added.

"We know that the construction of the ambitious new Parliament building will take time, perhaps less than two years, but we will ensure there is no pollution. We will manage everything smoothly. All agencies involved have taken this into consideration," Singh said.

The newly-appointed Secretary-General, speaking about future Parliament sessions amid the COVID-19 pandemic, said that they are in constant touch with various ministries and protocols will be modified accordingly depending on the risk whenever the session is called.

"We have taken various challenges in the past and this certainly is a challenging time. My predecessor managed it well. We have met health guidelines to satisfaction of all members. We are in constant touch with various ministries and protocols will be modified accordingly depending on risk whenever the session is called," he said.

Singh said that all safety norms are followed and everyone is perfectly safe.

A senior civil servant from the 1986 batch of the Uttarakhand cadre, Singh has served in the central and various state governments in various capacities in diverse sectors of the economy and governance. (ANI)