With a few anticipated or rather expected moves, like that of Tarun Bajaj and AK Sharma, Indian bureaucracy at the union secretary-level on Sunday saw a major reshuffle amid the Coronavirus crisis. While Bajaj has been appointed as the economic affairs secretary, Sharma has been moved to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. They both were posted at the PMO.
According to a Government of India order, Bajaj, who is currently the additional secretary at the PMO, will replace Atanu Chakraborty. Health secretary Preeti Sudan, who was due to superannuate on April 30, has been given a three-month extension. She will now continue as the health secretary for the next three-month even as the number of coronavirus positive cases in the country crossed 26,000 with over 800 fatalities.
Another significant change comes in form Rajesh Verma, who has been moved to the Ministry of Corporate Affairs from the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, where he is currently posted. Verma will succeed Injeti Srinivas, who is due to superannuate in May. Besides, broadcasting ministry secretary Ravi Mittal has been transferred to the Department of Sports.
As many as 23 #IAS officers of the rank from Additional Secretary, Special Secretary and Secretary were on Sunday appointed in various central government departments as part of a senior-level bureaucratic reshuffle affected by the #Centre. pic.twitter.com/c49KcU8D60
— IANS Tweets (@ians_india) April 26, 2020
More appointments: Click here to see full list
Other major appointments include Delhi Development Authority (DDA) vice-chairman Tarun Kumar, Border Management secretary Nagendra Nath Sinha. DoPT special secretary Pradip Kumar Tripathi, special secretary at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways Leena Tondon and Bidyut Bihari Swain.
While Kapoor has been appointed as the secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Sinha has been moved to the Department of Rural Development. Pandey will take charge as the secretary of the Department of Food and Public Distribution. Swain has been promoted as the special secretary at the Department of Commerce.
