New Delhi: In a significant bureaucratic reshuffle, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by the Prime Minister, has approved a series of high-level appointments and transfers across various ministries and departments.
The changes involve multiple Secretary and Special Secretary-level positions and are aimed at maintaining administrative efficiency as several senior officers near retirement.
Below is a detailed list of the key decisions made:
Major Secretary-Level Appointments & Transfers
1 – Alka Upadhyaya Appointed Secretary, National Commission for Minorities
- Previous Role: Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying
- New Role: Secretary, National Commission for Minorities, Ministry of Minority Affairs
- Cadre: IAS (MP:1990)
- She replaces Shri Naresh Pal Gangwar, who moves to Animal Husbandry.
2- Rajit Punhani to Head FSSAI
- Previous Role: Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship
- New Role: CEO, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Health Ministry
- Cadre: IAS (BH:1991)
- Takes over from Ganji Kamala V. Rao (Retd.); post temporarily upgraded to Secretary rank.
3- Debashree Mukherjee Moved to Skill Development Ministry
- Previous Role: Secretary, Department of Water Resources, Jal Shakti Ministry
- New Role: Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship
- Cadre: IAS (AGMUT:1991)
- Succeeds Rajit Punhani.
4- Vijay Kumar to Head Shipping Ministry
- Current Role: Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority
- New Role: OSD, Ministry of Ports, Shipping & Waterways; to take over as Secretary on superannuation of T.K. Ramachandran (Sept 30)
- Cadre: IAS (AGMUT:1992)
5- V. L. Kantha Rao Shifted to Jal Shakti
- Previous Role: Secretary, Ministry of Mines
- New Role: Secretary, Department of Water Resources
- Cadre: IAS (MP:1992)
- Replaces Debashree Mukherjee.
6- Sukriti Likhi to Lead Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare
- Current Role: Chairperson, National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention
- New Role: OSD, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare; will take charge as Secretary post-October 1
- Cadre: IAS (HY:1993)
7- Ranjana Chopra to Lead Tribal Affairs
- Current Role: Special Secretary & FA, Ministry of Culture
- New Role: OSD, Ministry of Tribal Affairs; to become Secretary post-October 1
- Cadre: IAS (OR:1994)
8- Naresh Pal Gangwar to Animal Husbandry
- Previous Role: Additional Secretary, Environment Ministry
- New Role: Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying
- Cadre: IAS (RJ:1994)
- Succeeds Alka Upadhyaya.
9- Niraj Verma Appointed Justice Secretary
- Previous Role: Administrator, USOF, Dept of Telecommunications
- New Role: OSD, Department of Justice; will take over as Secretary post-August 31
- Cadre: IAS (AM:1994)
- Replaces Raj Kumar Goyal (Superannuating).
10- Atish Chandra Promoted as Special Secretary in PMO
- Current Role: Additional Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office
- New Role: Special Secretary, PMO
- Cadre: IAS (BH:1994)
- Post temporarily upgraded to Special Secretary as personal measure.
11- Piyush Goyal to Lead Ministry of Mines
- Previous Role: CEO, NATGRID (MHA)
- New Role: Secretary, Ministry of Mines
- Cadre: IAS (NL:1994)
- Succeeds V. L. Kantha Rao.
12- Sanjay Garg to Head Bureau of Indian Standards
- Previous Role: Addl Secretary, DARE & Secretary, ICAR
- New Role: OSD, BIS, Ministry of Consumer Affairs; will take over as DG post-October 31
- Cadre: IAS (KL:1994)
- Succeeds Pramod Kumar Tiwari; post temporarily upgraded to Secretary level.
13- Roli Singh to Lead National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention
- Previous Role: Additional Secretary, Health Ministry
- New Role: Chairperson, NACWC
- Cadre: IAS (RJ:1994)
- Replaces Sukriti Likhi.
14- Trishaljit Sethi Appointed Secretary, Central Vigilance Commission
- Previous Role: Director General (Training), Ministry of Skill Development
- New Role: Secretary, Central Vigilance Commission
- Cadre: IPoS:1990
- Post upgraded temporarily to Secretary level.
Key Themes in the Reshuffle
- Several inter-ministry lateral movements.
- Succession planning in anticipation of upcoming superannuations.
- Temporary upgrades to Secretary rank for continuity and recognition.
- Renewed focus on institutional leadership in critical sectors: mining, vigilance, ex-servicemen welfare, food safety, and tribal affairs.
