NEW DELHI, The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a major reshuffle of Joint Secretary and equivalent-level positions across key ministries and departments of the Central Government, bringing several senior officers into important administrative roles.
According to an official order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training on October 10, the appointments will take effect from the dates the officers assume charge. The order covers positions across the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Department of Urban Development, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Department of Commerce, the Ministry of Culture, the Ministry of Education and several other departments.
Among the prominent appointments, four officers have been posted as Joint Secretaries in the Ministry of Home Affairs: Ravi Shanakar, an IAS officer of the 2007 Gujarat cadre; Chittaranjan Dash, an Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) officer of the 1999 batch; P. Manoj Kumar, an Indian Statistical Service officer of the 1998 batch; and Abhishek Bhagotia, an IAS officer of the 2007 Assam-Meghalaya cadre.
The appointments bring officers from different civil services into senior positions in the ministry responsible for internal security, central coordination and several key administrative functions.
## Key appointments across ministries
Manisha Trighatia, an IAS officer of the 2002 Uttar Pradesh cadre, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Department of Urban Development for a tenure of five years, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The reshuffle also includes senior-level appointments in health, education, commerce, culture and infrastructure-related departments. Varnali Deka, an IAS officer of the 2009 batch, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the National Health Authority under the Department of Health and Family Welfare. More Ashish Madhavrao, an IAS officer of the 2005 batch, has been appointed Additional Chief Executive Officer of the National Health Authority at the Joint Secretary level.
Vivek Khare, an Indian Telecom Service officer of the 1996 batch, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the National Testing Agency under the Department of Higher Education. Brijesh Panday, an IAS officer of the 2004 Tripura cadre, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Department of Capital Development.
Other appointments include Nikhil Varma of the Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax) as Additional Director General of Foreign Trade; Tanvi Sundriyal, an IAS officer of the 2010 Madhya Pradesh cadre, as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs; and Inderjeet Singh, an IAS officer of the 2010 Rajasthan cadre, as Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Culture.
Prakash Rajpurohit, an IAS officer of the 2010 Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed Deputy Election Commissioner in the Election Commission of India. The order also names officers for senior roles in financial services, food distribution, health and family welfare, and other administrative departments.
## Infrastructure, water resources and social welfare
The reshuffle extends to several departments responsible for infrastructure development, water management and social welfare.
Avinash Jain, an Indian Railway Service of Engineers officer of the 2001 batch, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. Pawan Kumar, an Indian Forest Service officer of the 2005 batch, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the National River Conservation Directorate under the same department.
Anita Shah Akella, an IAS officer of the 1996 batch, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the National Commission for Women under the Ministry of Women and Child Development.
The order also provides for senior appointments in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the Department of Personnel and Training, the Development and Welfare Board for Denotified, Nomadic and Semi-Nomadic Communities, and the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
Nitin Kumar, a Central Secretariat Service officer, has been appointed Additional Secretary at the Joint Secretary level in the Central Vigilance Commission. C. Murugan, an IAS officer of the 2007 West Bengal cadre, has been appointed Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, while Rajneesh Kumar Tomar of the Indian Railway Service of Mechanical Engineers has been appointed Chief Executive Officer at the Joint Secretary level in the National Highways Logistics Management Limited.
## Administrative realignment across the government
The appointments reflect a broad administrative realignment across ministries and central organisations, placing officers in roles linked to policy implementation, programme coordination and institutional management.
The ACC order specifies the tenure of the appointments, generally five years or until further orders, whichever is earlier, although some positions have different tenure provisions. All appointments are subject to the conditions stated in the official order.
The reshuffle is expected to bring changes in the leadership of several departments and organisations as the officers take charge of their new responsibilities. The order was issued by Manisha Saxena, Secretary of the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet and Establishment Officer, and circulated to all Secretaries to the Government of India.
