Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle: ACC Approves High-Profile Appointments Across Key Ministries

New Delhi, 16/08/2024 — The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has sanctioned a series of significant bureaucratic appointments across various ministries, signaling a strategic reshuffling of leadership in critical government departments. The latest appointments, spanning the finance, defence, and minority affairs ministries, underscore the government’s commitment to experience and continuity in governance.

The following officers have received ACC approval for their new roles, as announced by Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Secretary at the Department of Personnel and Training:

Key Appointments:

1. Vivek Joshi, IAS (Hyderabad, 1989): Currently Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, he has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances, and Pensions.
2. Rajesh Kumar Singh, IAS (Kerala, 1989): Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is now Officer on Special Duty, Department of Defence, Ministry of Defence. He will succeed Aramane Giridhar, IAS (Andhra Pradesh, 1988), as Secretary, Department of Defence, after Giridhar’s tenure ends on October 31, 2024. Singh’s term has been extended until October 31, 2026, or until further orders.
3. Katikithala Srinivas, IAS (Gujarat, 1989): Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, has been appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.
4. Manoj Govil, IAS (Madhya Pradesh, 1991): Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, will now serve as Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
5. Vandana Gurnani, IAS (Karnataka, 1991): Currently in the cadre, she has been appointed as Secretary (Coordination), Cabinet Secretariat.
6. Chandra Sekhar Kumar, IAS (Odisha, 1992): Special Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, is appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, replacing Katikithala Srinivas.
7. Neelam Shammi Rao, IAS (Madhya Pradesh, 1992): Central Provident Fund Commissioner, Employees’ Provident Fund Organization, Ministry of Labour and Employment, is now Secretary, National Commission for Minorities, Ministry of Minority Affairs.
8. Punya Salila Srivastava, IAS (AGMUT, 1993): Special Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. She will take over as Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, after Apurva Chandra, IAS (Maharashtra, 1988), retires on September 30, 2024.
9. Deepti Gaur Mukerjee, IAS (Madhya Pradesh, 1993): CEO, National Health Authority, has been appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs, replacing Manoj Govil.
10. Deepti Umashankar, IAS (Hyderabad, 1993): Establishment Officer and Additional Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, is now Officer on Special Duty to the President, in the rank and pay of Secretary to the government. She will succeed Rajesh Verma, IAS (Odisha, 1987), upon his superannuation on August 31, 2024.
11. Sukriti Likhi, IAS (Hyderabad, 1993): Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser, Ministry of Steel, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty, National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention, and will later assume the role of Chairperson, National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention, after Mukhmeet Singh Bhatia, IAS (Jharkhand, 1990), retires on September 30, 2024.
12. Sanjeev Kumar, IAS (Maharashtra, 1993): Chairman, Airports Authority of India, Ministry of Civil Aviation, is now Secretary, Department of Defence Production, Ministry of Defence.
13. Amardeep Singh Bhatia, IAS (Nagaland, 1993): Additional Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is appointed as Secretary, Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, succeeding Rajesh Kumar Singh.
14. Prashant Kumar Singh, IAS (Manipur, 1993): CEO, Government e-Marketplace Special Purpose Vehicle, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, is now Officer on Special Duty, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. He will take over as Secretary, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, after Bhupinder Singh Bhalla, IAS (AGMUT, 1990), retires on September 30, 2024.
15. Ashok Kumar Kaluaram Meena, IAS (Odisha, 1993): Chairman and Managing Director, Food Corporation of India, is now Officer on Special Duty, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, and will become Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, upon Vini Mahajan’s retirement on October 31, 2024.
16. Nagaraju Maddirala, IAS (Tripura, 1993): Additional Secretary, Ministry of Coal, is appointed as Secretary, Department of Financial Services, succeeding Vivek Joshi.
17. Pankaj Kumar Mishra, IRS (Income Tax, 1989): Currently in the cadre, he has been appointed as Member Finance, Atomic Energy Commission, Department of Atomic Energy, in the rank and pay of Secretary to the government of India.
18. A Neeraja, IFoS (Uttar Pradesh, 1990): Special Secretary, Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, is now Officer on Special Duty, National Commission for Backward Classes, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, and will later assume the role of Secretary, National Commission for Backward Classes.

In-Situ Upgradations:

The ACC also approved in-situ upgradation of several officers to the level of Special Secretary in the rank and pay of Secretary to the government, by temporarily upgrading the posts held by them.