The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of Vinayak Bhat, a 2009-batch Indian Revenue Service (Customs & Indirect Taxes) officer, as Private Secretary to Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Railways V. Somanna.
The appointment will be in the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation at the Director level.
According to the official order, the ACC also approved the curtailment of Vinayak Bhat’s tenure as Director in the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Central Staffing Scheme.
He will now serve as Private Secretary to the Minister till May 28, 2028 — the balance period of his five-year tenure — or on a co-terminus basis with the minister.
EXPERIENCED IRS OFFICER
Vinayak Bhat belongs to the 2009 batch of the IRS (Customs & Indirect Taxes) and has held important assignments in the Government of India. During his central deputation, he served in the Jal Shakti ecosystem, handling key administrative responsibilities linked to water resources and river rejuvenation.
KEY ROLE IN MINISTER’S OFFICE
As Private Secretary to Minister V. Somanna, Bhat is expected to play a crucial coordination role between the minister’s office and the departments under Jal Shakti and Railways, especially in policy execution, administrative management and inter-departmental communication.
