New Delhi (27.12.2024): While effecting the secretary-level reshuffle on last Wednesday, the New Delhi establishment has yet again made it a zig saw puzzle. Yet again, Indianmandarins is attempting to analyse factors and considerations that may make one understand how and why such reshuffle is done.
Secretary, Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT):-
This is not just a coincidence, the post of DoPT Secretary that manages the personnel matters of Govt of India was given to a woman officer again. After months long vacancy, Rachna Shah (IAS: 1991: KL) replaced Radha S Chauhan (1988: UP). A few weeks ago Manisha Saxena (1996: UT) succeeded Deepti Umashankar (1993: HY) as Establishment Officer under DoPT. A woman officer Kavita Singh (IAS: 2004: PB) has been looking after the ACC matters in the Cabinet Secretariate. Considering the recent extension of tenure of Mallika Sriniwasan as PESB Chairperson, it endorses the idea of how New Delhi establishment ensures that no news break or information leakage takes place before it is formally announced.
Rachna Shah is the third Secretary in DoPT in a year. If everything goes well she may continue till retirement in November 2027 thus bringing in continuity and stability at DoPT.
Secretary, Department of Revenue:-
The reshuffle grabbed attention first with Arunish Chawla’s (IAS: 1992: BH) appointment. It has reasons for carrying a weightage. He has a challenge to fit into the shoes of Sanjay Malhotra now RBI Governor. While delivering as Secretary, Culture Govind Mohan (IAS: 1989: SK) got a prized position as Union Home Secretary so had Chawla as Union Secretary for Revenue handling the responsibilities of CBDT, CBIC, Enforcement Directorate, DRI including others. As if Pharmaceuticals was an interim arrangement for Chawla. He moves from Shastri Bhawan to North Block yet continues to hold the charge of Ministry of Culture. Of late, Culture ministry has gathered important stakes. Though fitting into the shoes of Govind Mohan would be an uphill task but it is interesting to watch whom the PMO picks up for the Culture ministry.
Secretary, Department of Higher Education:-
Shifting Vineet Joshi (IAS: 1992: MN) from Manipur to New Delhi as Secretary, Higher Education is like a home coming for him. Earlier Joshi served as the most powerful Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Education. Education has been his tested turf since his CBSE (Chairman) days. Certainly, it brings a sigh of relief for Joshi but someone serving at the Centre has to move to Manipur as Chief Secretary.
Secretary, Ministry of Textiles:-
Neelam Shammi Rao’s (IAS: 1992: MP) deployment in the Ministry of Textiles is something similar to what was doing rounds in the power corridors. A section of senior bureaucrats believed that the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) was just another stop-gap arrangement for her. As Textiles Secretary, she joins the league of her husband V L Kantha Rao who is serving as Secretary in the Ministry of Mines.
Secretary, National Commission for Minorities:-
Sanjay Sethi (IAS: 1992: MH) is set to move from his Cadre (Maharashtra) to replace Neelam Shammi Rao as Secretary, NCM in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Govt of India. Like Rao, Sethi too will work in coordination with his batchmate Chandra Shekhar Kumar (1992: OD) who is Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs. Coupled with the residual service till September 2027, the chronology of Sethi’s posting and empanelment shows a pattern. The Centre gave him a key responsibility of JNPA Chairman yet disappointed him in June 2023 in empanelment for Secretary-level post. He repatriated to Cadre and then in February 2024 got empanelled for holding Secretary-equivalent post. The progression and projection give Sethi a reason to stay optimistic for a prized posting in the future.
Secretary, Department of Pharmaceuticals:-
Leaving a key position of CEO UIDAI for juniors Amit Agrawal (IAS: 1993: CG) moves to Shastri Bhawan as Secretary, Pharmaceuticals. After a long wait, he got Secretary-level posting but sources say his posting would have dismayed him as he is considered to be well equipped to handle finance and capital market. Lateral shift of Union secretaries is a norm in NaMo administration while he has service tenure till June 2030. In the meanwhile the Centre may send him back to the state as Chief Secretary as the incumbent CS Amitabh Jain (IAS: 1989: CG) is due to retire or resign in the next few weeks or months.
DG, National Productivity Council:-
Neerja Sekhar (IAS: 1993: HY) joins Amit Agrawal in sharing a few commonalities. Like Agrawal, she too has fairly long terms of service till September 2030. In spite of empanelment for holding Secretary-Equivalent post she has been given Secretary-equivalent post of DG of the National Productivity Council. The establishment has its own challenges to accommodate a large pool of eligible officers. NPC considered a lighter assignment provides the establishment an avenue in placements and personnel management. S Gopalakrishnan (IAS: 1991: TN) was landed to NPC before being to to Staff Selection Commission.
(By Rakesh Ranjan)
