In a sweeping bureaucratic reshuffle on the last day of the financial year, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment and transfer of over 40 senior officers across various central ministries and departments. The moves cover key positions in ministries dealing with personnel, finance, rural development, chemicals and fertilisers, tourism, minority affairs, and information and broadcasting.

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Key Secretarial Appointments

Nivedita Shukla Verma, IAS, currently Secretary of the Department of Chemicals and Petro-Chemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilisers, has been appointed as Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, with additional charge as Secretary, Department of Pensions and Pensioners Welfare. Chanchal Kumar, IAS, previously Secretary under the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region, will now serve as Secretary, Ministry of Information & Broadcasting, succeeding Sanjay Jaju, IAS, who moves to the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. Narendra Bhooshan, IAS, has been appointed Secretary, Department of Land Resources, Ministry of Rural Development. Chandra Sekhar Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, will take over as Chief Executive Officer, National Rainfed Area Authority, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Srivatsa Krishna, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Tourism, has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs. Tejveer Singh, IAS, assumes charge as Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petro-Chemicals.

Future Appointments and Promotions

In the financial sector, Sanjay Lohiya, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Mines, has been appointed Special Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, and will later take over as Secretary, Department of Financial Services, succeeding Nagaraju Maddirala, IAS, upon his superannuation on May 31, 2026. Rohit Kansal, IAS, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, has been appointed Secretary, Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development, following Shailesh Kumar Singh, IAS, upon his retirement on March 31, 2026. Bharat Harbanslal Khera, IAS, Additional Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, will serve as Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, and subsequently as Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, after Subhas Chandra Lal Das, IAS, retires on April 30, 2026.

Other Key Appointments and Upgradations

Abhishek Singh, IAS, Director General, National Informatics Centre, has been appointed Director General, National Testing Agency, Ministry of Education, in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India. Additionally, in-situ upgradation of several officers to the level of Special Secretary in the rank and pay of Secretary has been approved, including Bhuvnesh Kumar, IAS, Chief Executive Officer, Unique Identification Authority of India; Sanjay Rastogi, IAS, Director General, National Archives of India; and Sajjan Singh Yadav, IAS, Additional Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance. (ANI)