After 3½ yrs,Chidambaram back home to FinMin

After taking over,calls his predecessor President Pranab Mukherjee to the finance ministry

Despite the heavy rains that lashed the Capital on Wednesday morning,North Block,which houses the ministries of Home Affairs and finance was abuzz with activity. After a hiatus of over three- and a-half years,P Chidambaram on Wednesday once again took over the reigns of the finance ministry at about 11:30 in the morning.

Senior officials,including finance secretary RS Gujral,expenditure secretary Sumit Bose and newly appointed secretary in the department of economic affairs Arvind Mayaram as well as minister of state Namo Narain Meena were present to welcome back the minister. He had been assigned Home Affairs portfolio after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Before assuming charge,Chidambaram first bid adieu to his officials at the ministry of home affairs and then called upon Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Later in the day,he also called upon his predecessor in the finance ministry,President Pranab Mukherjee,and Vice President Hamid Ansari.

It was a courtesy call,done primarily as he had taken up a new office, a source said. He is also understood to have taken a brief review meeting with officials to understand the key pending issues with the ministry. Meanwhile,Mayaram also held a similar meeting with senior department officials.

While Chidambarams first day in office was hectic largely due to visitors,courtesy calls and a few meetings,he is expected to start taking hard decisions starting Thursday when meetings of the Union Cabinet and Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs are scheduled.

Known for a hands on approach and his sharp intellect,finance ministry officials who had till now been reporting to the Prime Ministers Office on all policy issues are hopeful of faster clearances.

With a full time minister in place,many policy issues be it on mutual funds,infrastructure projects or even taxation issues,will be easily addressed, an official commented.

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Significantly,Chidam-barams private secretary from home affairs,MA Siddique is also likely to be transferred to finance ministry. A 1995 batch officer of the IAS of Tamil Nadu cadre,he accompanied the minister to the ministry on Tuesday.