ACC approves 18 transfers, Rajesh Kumar Singh to be Defence Secretary

These appointments, the first big reshuffle in the Modi government’s third term, comes with the superannuation of officers in several ministries. Another senior bureaucrat Punya Salila Srivastava, a 1993-batch AGMUT-cadre IAS officer, will take over as Health Secretary with incumbent Apurva Chandra’s superannuation on September 30 this year. Srivastava, who was Special Secretary, PMO, will take charge as Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare till Chandra’s superannuation.

Prior to her stint at the PMO, Srivastava worked as joint secretary and then additional secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs. She became well-recognised during the Covid-19 pandemic, addressing the regular conference on lockdown and travel measures.

Deepti Umashankar, a 1993-batch IAS officer of the Haryana cadre, will take charge as Secretary to the President on Rajesh Verma’s superannuation on August 31. Earlier the Establishment Officer and Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, Umashankar has been posted as Officer on Special Duty to the President until she takes charge as the President’s Secretary. Vivek Joshi, a 1989-batch Haryana-cadre IAS officer, who was Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, has been appointed the Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training.

K Srinivas, a 1989-batch Gujarat-cadre IAS officer, has been posted as Secretary, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs. Srinivas was Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, a post that will now be held by Chandra Sekhar Kumar, a 1992-batch officer of the Orissa cadre. Manoj Govil, who was Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, has been posted as Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance, and Deepti Gaur Mukherjee, a 1993-batch IAS officer of the MP cadre, will take his place as Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Mukherjee was the CEO of the National Health Authority — the agency that implements the Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme. No one has been named for the top post of the agency.

In the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Ashok Kumar Kaluaram Meena will take charge as Secretary, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, on incumbent Vini Mahajan’s superannuation on October 31. Meena was Chairman and Managing Director, Food Corporation of India.