Cabinet Secy gets another year in office

Of the three candidates, Finance Secretary Adarsh Kishore of the 1969 batch was found to be most suitable but could not be appointed as he is junior to most of the serving secretaries who had objected to this change.

Sources said the order was issued by the Prime Minister yesterday but the necessary amendment to the Financial Rules was done this afternoon.

The rationale cited for extending his term was his vast administrative experience as well as the need for continuity.

Chaturvedi, an IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, replaced Kamal Pande whose two-year fixed tenure was cut short by two months by the UPA government.

Besides Kishore, the contenders for the top bureaucratic job were Women & Child Development Secretary Reva Nayyar and Health Secretary P K Hota.

The extension wipes out the chances of IAS officers of 1968 and 1969 batches, leaving the field open only for 1970 batch officers when Chaturvedi superannuates next year.

Talking to The Indian Express, Chaturvedi said, ‘‘I plan to use my extension to address the unfinished agenda… to improve delivery systems at the grassroots level and to push administrative reforms with other reforms in governance.’’