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In a major bureaucratic reshuffle at the secretary level, the Center on Thursday changed the top leadership in key ministries including petroleum, telecom, pharmaceuticals and agriculture. The realignment brings in officials with sector experience and depth of policy at a time when ministries are preparing for the next financial year and tackling important regulatory work.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, headed by the Prime Minister, approved the changes, according to an order of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
Neeraj Mittal, a 1992 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, has been appointed Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. Mittal, who has previously worked on energy sector reforms as joint secretary in the same ministry, moves from the Department of Telecommunications, where he oversaw spectrum policy, service quality issues and expansion of digital infrastructure. His return to the petroleum sector comes as the government focuses on supply security, investment in exploration and gradual transformation of India’s energy mix.
Amit Agarwal, a 1993 batch Chhattisgarh cadre officer, will take over as the new Telecom Secretary. Aggarwal, a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, with a strong background in digital governance, previously headed the Unique Identification Authority of India and served in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Their move into telecommunications comes at a time when the sector is grappling with regulatory changes, security considerations and expanding manufacturing responsibilities.
Manoj Joshi, a 1989 batch Kerala cadre officer who was recently transferred to the Department of Land Resources from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, has now been brought in to head the Department of Pharmaceuticals. His experience in land management, urban affairs and regulatory coordination is considered relevant to the pharma sector, where the government is pushing for manufacturing parks, bulk drug capacity and medical device expansion.
A major upcoming change in the Agriculture Ministry is the appointment of Atish Chandra, Special Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, as Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. Chandra, a 1994 batch Bihar cadre officer, has previously worked in the food and agriculture sectors and handled key schemes at the Centre. As per the DoPT order, he will take over as Agriculture Secretary after the retirement of Devesh Chaturvedi from February 1.
Among other movements, Tourism Secretary V. Vidyavathi has been transferred to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. His post will now be taken over by Srivatsa Krishna of the 1994 batch, who is known for his work in technology, investment promotion and state-level economic planning.
Chennai Port Trust Chairman Sunil Paliwal, a 1993 batch Tamil Nadu cadre officer with extensive experience in maritime infrastructure, has been appointed Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India, with the post temporarily upgraded to the rank of Secretary.
Anju Rathi Rana, Secretary in the Department of Legal Affairs, in the Ministry of Law and Justice, has been appointed Member Secretary of the 23rd Law Commission of India.
Legislative Department Secretary Rajeev Mani’s tenure has been extended till July 2028 and he has been given additional charge of the Legal Affairs Department after Rana joins the Commission. His continued presence is considered important as the ministry is currently considering several legislative proposals.
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