Centre moves 16 secretaries in upgradation exercise

In a major secretary-level reshuffle, the Centre today appointed Ajay Prasad, OSD to the Dy PM, as Defence Secretary, while Adarsh Kishore, Additional Secretary, Economic Affairs, has been posted as Secretary, Statistics and Programme Implementation. Prasad will take over from S. Datta, who is going as Member of the UPSC. Besides, R.K. Singh, GM, Northern Railway, has been posted as Chairman of the Railway Board.

According to an official notification, as many as 16 secretaries were involved in the reshuffle exercise with R.R. Shah going as Secretary, Industrial Policy and Promotion, and K.K. Jaiswal going to Information Technology in his place. Dhirendra Singh, Special Secretary, Procurement, will replace S.S.M. Sundaram in the Disinvestment Ministry with the latter going to the Atomic Energy Commission.

The exercise involves the upgradation of 10 officers of the 1969 batch to secretary-level. Other transfers include B.S. Baswan to Social Justice; S.P. Arya to Tribal Affairs; P.S.S. Thomas as Secretary-General, NHRC; Manoranjan as Advisor, Planning Commission; A.N. Tiwari as Special Secretary (Power); P. Sinha as Secretary, Border Management; Ashok Mishra as Advisor, Planning Commission; S.K. Purkayastha as Secretary, Public Grievances; Adarsh Mishra as Special Secretary, Mines; and Anil Baijal as Vice-Chairman, DDA, in the rank and pay of Secretary.