S. Narayanan is director general at the Department of New & Renewable Energy, Government of Haryana (HAREDA). He also holds the positions of secretary, revenue and disaster management department, Haryana government; civil secretariat; and additional principal chief conservator of forests, Haryana forest department. In the past, he has served as director general-cum-secretary of the environment and climate change department, Haryana government; member secretary of the Haryana State Pollution Control Board; and chief conservator of forests, Haryana government. In addition, he has served as mission director-cum-commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration of the National Health Mission, and as regional director, Government of India. He has also worked as deputy secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and as divisional head, Haryana Forest Department.
For Narayanan, the most exciting part of his current role has been achieving two significant milestones for the state. One, securing the top spot in the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan scheme (Component B), and two, securing the second position at the national level among larger states for energy conservation, for which he received an award from the President of India.
“We have ambitious targets for institutional and government buildings under the solar pump scheme (70,000) and the rooftop solar scheme (11.4 MW) to be achieved in 2024. We have many other programmes such as PM Surya Ghar for solarising residential units, supplying energy-efficient equipment to weaker sections of society, installing rooftop solar systems in gaushalas and setting up green hydrogen projects. These are all being meticulously followed up on, with specific time frames and a focused approach. Regular reviews with officials, vendors and other stakeholders to monitor progress and overcome bottlenecks are key to achieving our targets,” he says. Narayanan believes in teamwork and does not like to leave issues pending. He tries to resolve problems in a coordinated manner, listens to grievances and is receptive to suggestions. His flexibility and approachability have helped him resolve many issues.
Narayanan holds a bachelor’s degree in agriculture from the Agricultural College and Research Institute, Kilikulam, Tirunelveli, and a master’s in agricultural microbiology from the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends. He also likes to exercise, practise yoga, read, solve puzzles and play chess.