Major Bureaucratic Reshuffle Sees Appointment of 12 Secretaries and 27 Additional Secretaries
The government on Tuesday announced a significant bureaucratic reshuffle, appointing Chanchal Kumar, an IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, as the new Secretary of the Information and Broadcasting (I&B) Ministry. This move is part of a broader restructuring that includes the designation of Sanjay Lohiya as the Secretary of the Department of Financial Services (DFS).
Key Appointments in the Reshuffle
In this administrative overhaul, Vir Vikram Yadav has been appointed as the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), replacing Faiz Ahmed Kidwai. Kidwai, an MP-cadre IAS officer, has been reassigned as an Additional Secretary in the Personnel Department. Sanjay Lohiya will assume the role of Secretary DFS upon the retirement of M Nagaraju on May 31.
The reshuffle encompasses the appointment of 12 secretaries and 27 additional secretary-level officers, reflecting a strategic realignment of top bureaucratic positions.
Notable Transfers and Promotions
Chanchal Kumar, who is currently serving in the Department of North-East Region, will transition to the I&B Ministry, effectively swapping positions with Sanjay Jaju. Meanwhile, Rohit Kansal, an AGMUT cadre officer from the 1995 batch, has been named the new Rural Development Secretary.
Tourism Secretary Srivatsa Krishna is set to become the new Minority Affairs Secretary, while Bhuvnesh Kumar, the current CEO of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), will take charge as the Tourism Secretary.
Abhishek Singh, a Nagaland-cadre IAS officer promoted to the secretary rank, will assume the position of Director General of the National Testing Agency. Nivedita Shukla Verma, a 1991-batch IAS officer currently serving as Secretary of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, will move to become Secretary of the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances.
Tejveer Singh, a Punjab-cadre IAS officer, has been appointed as the new Chemical and Petro-chemicals Secretary. Narendra Bhooshan, a UP-cadre officer, has been designated as the new Secretary of the Land Resources Department.
Chandra Sekhar Kumar, the present Minority Affairs Secretary, has been reassigned as the CEO of the National Rainfed Area Authority.
Additional Appointments and Future Transitions
The order issued on Tuesday also highlighted the appointment of Bharat Harbanslal Khera, a Himachal Pradesh-cadre officer from the 1995 batch, as an Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). He is scheduled to take over as Secretary on April 30.
This comprehensive reshuffle aims to optimize administrative efficiency and align key bureaucratic roles with current governmental priorities, ensuring a smooth transition and continuity in governance.
