UPA’s favorite babus get minority commission abode

New Delhi: Arvind Mayaram, who was shunted from finance ministry to tourism ministry only a fortnight back, has now been transferred as Secretary in Minority Affairs Ministry even before he took charge of his new post.  

Revenue secretary Rajiv Takru was also shifted first as secretary department of North East and from there as secretary national minority commission.

“The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) has approved cancellation of order of appointment of Mayaram, a 1978 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, as Secretary, Ministry of Tourism,” a statement issued on Thursday by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) said.

Mayaram had been replaced by Rajiv Mehrishi, who was Rajasthan Chief Secretary, as the Finance Secretary on October 15.

“The ACC has also approved that Ratan Ratan P Watal, Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Finance Ministry, will hold additional charge of Finance Secretary for a period of one month with immediate effect or until the assumption of charge by Mehrishi or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” it said. Watal is a 1978 batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre.

Mayaram has now been appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, in place of Lalit K Panwar, the DoPT said. Panwar, a 1979 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, has been appointed as new Secretary in Ministry of Tourism, it said.