New Delhi (16.08.2024): The Centre has rolled up its sleeves for a fresh and major administrative shake-up post-Lok Sabha elections in view of various top officials having already completed many successive extensions on the top positions.
Breaking the monotony of successive extensions, the government has appointed new Cabinet Secretary and Union Home Secretary paving the way for a major reshuffle of secretary-level officials in the Government of India.
Effectively seven Secretary/Secretary-equivalent level posts are lying vacant while eighth post will be falling vacant on 31.08.2024. In addition, three more coveted positions are also vacant but, in all likelihood, they will remain untouched in the possible reshuffle.
Vacant Posts
- DOPT Secretary vice Radha S Chauhan (Retd IAS: 1988: UP) who retired on June 30, 2024
- Coordination Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat Vice P K Tripathi (IAS: 1987: UT)
- Housing & Urban Affairs Secretary vice Manoj Joshi (IAS: 1989: KL)
- Department of Public Enterprise Secretary vice Ali Raza Rizvi (Retd IAS: 1988: HP) who retired on June 31, 2024
- Expenditure Secretary vice Dr T V Somanathan (IAS: 1987: TN) now Cabinet Secretary Designate
- Culture Secretary vice Govind Mohan (IAS: 1989: SK) now Home Secretary Designate
- Minority Commission Vice Anjali Bhawara (Retd IAS: 1988: PB) who retired on June 30, 2024.
- Secretary in President Secretariat Rajesh Verma (IAS: 1987: OR), is scheduled to superannuate this month end. It is to be seen whether he gets extension or superannuates.
In addition to the above three key posts are virtually vacant in perpetuity that cincludes Secretary, PMO vice Bhaskar Khulbe and Secretary, Defence Production vice Raj Kumar (IAS: 1987: GJ) which may be kept dormant in all likelihood.
Further, a large list of reshuffles including fresh appointments, in-situ elevation and lateral shift, are said to be ready for over a week but it was claimed to be awaiting decisions on Cabinet Secretary and Home Secretary which is complete now.
Informed sources say that the reshuffle in the offing will also cover Secretary-level vacancies up to October-November which means it may include at least seven more posts of secretaries.
Further, by placing Devesh Chaturvedi (IAS: 1989: UP) and Sandeep Pondrik (IAS: 1993: BH) as Secretary for Agriculture and Steel respectively, the Centre has already signalled that many officers posted in Cadre may be brought to Centre. Officers from the Cadre may include S P Goyal (IAS: 1989: UP); Goa Chief Secretary, Puneet Goel; Arunachal Chief Secretary Dharmendra (IAS: 1989: UT); V Umashankar (IAS: 1993: HY) and many others.
