In a big move in central level bureaucracy, Government has appointed and reshuffled 16 senior officials as secretaries. Andhra Pradesh cadre IAS Giridhar Aramane will take charge as new defence secretary, While Haryana cadre IAS Vivek Joshi named as the new financial services secretary. While IAS officer Sanjay Malhotra, the current financial services secretary, has been appointed as the new revenue secretary and he will replace Tarun Bajaj who is retiring in November.
In what is being seen as first such order by the Cabinet Committee on Appointment (ACC), six of these 16 officers will take charge as secretaries in new departments in December, January and February. For example, current rural development secretary N N Sinha will take charge of steel secretary on January 1, 2023. Jharkhand cadre IAS, Sailesh Kumar Singh will replace Sinha. Similarly, Sanjay Malhotra of Rajasthan cadre will take charge of revenue department in December.
Rajasthan cadre IAS, from 1991 batch, who has been designated as officer on special duty in the shipping ministry, will take over as shipping secretary in February after superannuation of current secretary, Sanjeev Ranjan. Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS, Kamran Rizvi will take charge as heavy industries secretary in January.
The ACC also approved the appointment of current NHAI chairperson Alka Upadhyaya as new road transport secretary and Amrit Lal Meena of Bihar cadre as the new coal secretary. Odisha cadre IAS Sanjeev Chopra will be the new food secretary and MP cadre IAS Manoj Govil will be the new corporate affairs secretary.
As per the order 1990 batch IAS Sanjay Kumar will be the new school education secretary and Rachna Shah of Kerala cadre will take charge of textile department.
The government has also approved in-situ upgradation of eight officers as special secretaries in their current postings.