New Delhi (01.09.2023): Signalling the stability of New Delhi establishment and uncertainty for key positions across ministries and departments the bureaucratic overhaul was effected Thursday mid-night which included fresh appointments, lateral-shifts and in-situ elevations of over two dozens of senior IAS officers. Surprisingly, in the midst of G20 Summit preparations and amid speculations over historic bills like 'One Nation, One Election', Uniform Civil Code and women's reservation ahead of Special Session of Parliament the rejig looks quite unusual. The list of newly reshuffled union secretaries goes as follows:
- S Krishnan (IAS: 1989: TN), presently in the cadre, was appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. He replaces Alkesh Kumar Sharma (IAS: 1990: KL) upon his superannuation on 31.08.2023.
- Katikithala Srinivas (IAS: 1989: GJ) was appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs. Currently, he is Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie.
- Sriram Taranikanti (IAS: 1992: TR) was appointed as Director, Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India vice Katikithala Srinivas. Currently, Sriram is AS & FA) in MHA.
- Umang Narula (IAS: 1989: UT), presently in the cadre, was appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs vice Gudey Srinivas (IAS: 1990: OR).
- Parliamentary Affairs Secretary Gudey Srinivas (IAS: 1990: OR) was laterally shifted from Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs to National Commission for Scheduled Castes as its new Secretary.
- Ashish Upadhyaya (IAS: 1989: MP) was appointed as Secretary, National Commission for Backward Classes vice Rajeev Ranjan (IAS: 1989: MP) upon his superannuation on 31.12.2023. Currently, he is Special Secretary & Financial Advisor, Ministry of Power.
- Union Secretary for Mines Vivek Bhardwaj (IAS: 1990: WB) was laterally shifted the Ministry of Panchayati Raj as OSD. Bhardwaj will take over as Secretary upon retirement of Sunil Kumar (IAS: 1987: UP) on 31.10.2023.
- V L Kantha Rao (IAS: 1992: MP) was appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Mines vice Vivek Bhardwaj. Currently, he is Additional Secretary, Department of Telecommunications.
- Arunish Chawla (IAS: 1992: BH), presently in the cadre, was appointed as OSD in the Department of Pharmaceuticals under the Ministry of Chemicals w.e.f. 01.10.2023. Chawla will take over from S. Aparna (IAS: 1988: GJ) upon her superannuation on 31.10.2023.
- Chanchal Kumar (IAS: 1992: BH), currently OSD in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, was laterally shifted as Secretary, Ministry of Development of North Eastern
- Region vice Lok Ranjan (IAS: 1989: TR). Centre modified its earlier order for posting Chanchal Kumar as Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation vice Rajiv Bansal (IAS: 1988: NL) upon his superannuation on 31.08.2023.
- Lok Ranjan (IAS: 1989: TR) was appointed as Administrative Member, Central Administrative Tribunal.
- Vumlunmang Vualnam (IAS: 1992: MN) was appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation vice Rajiv Bansal upon his superannuation on 31.08.2023. Currently, he is Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs.
- Neeraj Mittal (IAS: 1992: TN), presently in the cadre, was appointed as Secretary, Department of Telecommunications.
- Shashi Ranjan Kumar (IAS: 1992: TR) was appointed as Secretary, UPSC in the rank and pay of Union Secretary by temporarily upgrading the post vice Ms. Vasudha Mishra (Retd IAS: 1987: TG) by curtailing her period of re-employment. Currently, Ranjan is AS & FA in the Ministry of Textiles.
- Nidhi Khare (IAS: 1992: JH) was in-situ elevated as Special Secretary in the Department of Consumer Affairs as a measure personal to the Officer. She will join as OSD in Department of Land Resources (DoLR) w.e.f. 01.12.2023 and take over as Secretary, DoLR upon superannuation of Ajay Tirkey (IAS: 1987: MP) on 31.12.2023.
In addition, three senior IAS officers were elevated (in-situ ) in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India as a measure personal to them by temporarily upgrading the posts held by them. They are:
- Rajendra Kumar (IAS: 1992: TN), Director General, Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).
- Rakesh Ranjan (IAS: 1992: MN), Additional Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
- Neelam Shammi Rao (IAS: 1992: MP), Central Provident Fund Commissioner, Employees' Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.
Further, Sanjay Rastogi (IAS: 1991: OR), currently AS & FA in the Ministry of Chemicals & Fertilizers was laterally shifted to Ministry of Youth Affairs & Sports vice Manoj Sethi (ICAS: 1993) by temporarily upgrading the post to Additional Secretary level.
