New Delhi: Considered as a close confidante of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Senior Gujarat bureaucrat Girish Chandra Murmu, was appointed on Wednesday as Joint Secretary in Finance Ministry, Department of Expenditure.
Murmu, a 1985-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, was the Principle Secretary to Modi during his tenure as Chief Minister.
He is tipped to be the new Director of Enforcement Directorate, a post additionally under the charge of Rajan Katoch, after he is empaneled as Additional Secretary. He was among 27 Joint Secretary level officers whose appointment was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister.
Former Home Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir Suresh Kumar, who was embroiled in a controversy over release of separatist leader Masarat Alam, was appointed as Joint Secretary in Defence Ministry.
IAS officers Tarun Bajaj and Debashri Mukherjee have been appointed Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), an order issued late at night of Wednesday by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.
Bajaj, a 1988-batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre, is presently JS in Department of Economic Affairs. Mukherjee, a 1991-batch IAS officer of union territories cadre, is presently JS in the DoPT.
Raj Kumar, a 1987-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, will replace Bajaj.
Peeyush Kumar has been appointed as Joint Secretary, Direct Benefits Transfer, Department of Expenditure. Alka Tiwari, a 1988-batch IAS officer of Jharkhand cadre, has been appointed as Advisor, Niti Aayog, the order said. Anu Garg, a 1991-batch IAS officer of Odisha cadre, has been shifted out of PMO and appointed as Joint Secretary in Ministry of Textiles.
Krishan Kumar and Selva Kumar, who were working as Directors in the PMO, have been appointed as JS in Departments of Commerce and Economic Affairs respectively. Sharmila Mary Joseph, who was Director in the PMO, has been appointed as member in National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority.
The post of Sanjeev Kumar Singla as Private Secretary to the Prime Minister has been upgraded to the JS level, the order said.
Umang Narula, a 1989-batch IAS officer of Jammu and Kashmir cadre, has been appointed as Chairman and Managing Director of India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC). Manoj Kumar Dwivedi, Private Secretary to Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises, has been appointed as JS in Food Processing Ministry.
Praveen Kumar has been appointed JS in Department of Higher Education. P K Sarangi has been appointed JS Department of Rural Development. Hukum Singh Meena has been appointed in Sarangi’s place as JS in Department of Land Resources, it said.
Manish Singh, a 1997-batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, has been appointed JS in Department of Disinvestment. Achla Sinha, a 1982-batch Indian Railway Traffic Service officer, has been appointed Additional Secretary (JS level) in the Central Information Commission.
Sunil Sharma, a 1985 batch Indian Railway Personnel Service, has been appointed JS n Department of Health and Family Welfare.
Another Gujarat cadre IAS officer R P Gupta has been appointed Joint Secretary in Coal Ministry. Rajesh Sinha, a 1994-batch IAS officer of Kerala cadre, has also been appointed JS in the Coal Ministry.
Venkata Ramana Murthy, a 1987-batch Indian Defence Accounts Service officer, has been appointed JS in Corporate Affairs Ministry. Subhashish Panda has been made JS in Department of Food and Public Distribution. Raja Sekhar Vundru has been appointed DDG in UIDAI. Aditya Joshi has been made Joint Secretary in Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Fisheries, in Vundru’s place.
Sasidhar K Srinivas has been appointed JS, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation. Rashmi Saxena Sahni, a 1984-batch Indian Revenue Service (Income Tax), has been appointed as Joint Secretary in Women and Child Development Ministry.