New Delhi (22.02.2025): Former RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das (Retd IAS: 1980: TN) was on Saturday appointed as Principal Secretary-2 to the Prime Minister of India. His appointment will be co-terminus with the term of the Prime Minister or until further orders, whichever is earlier. As the ACC order explains itself he will be serving as PS to PM along with Dr P K Mishra (Retd IAS: 1972: GJ) Principal Secretary-1 to Prime Minister. Interestingly, both of them belong to Odisha. The then Additional PS to PM Dr PK Mishra had replaced Nripendra Mishra (Retd IAS: 1969: UP) as PS to PM. 

Das completed his extended term as 25th Governor of RBI on December 10, 2024 after handing over the baton to former Revenue Secretary Sanjay Malhotra (IAS: 1990: RJ) as 26th Governor of RBI. Das also served as Finance Secretary Designate before moving to RBI.  

Das’ appointment came days after the extension of BVR Subrahmanyam (Retd IAS: 1987: CG) as CEO, NITI Aayog.

Interesting to note that the PMO under NaMo 2.0 regime made a departure from the past on many counts. First, contrary to previous arrangements, the post of Secretary, PMO remains vacant in perpetuity after Bhaskar Khulbe (Retd IAS: 1983: WB) completed his extended term. 

Secondly, the PMO has two key officials Amit Khare (Retd IAS: 1985: JH) and Tarun Kapoor (Retd IAS: 1987: HP) as Adviser to the Prime Minister for a period upto 09.06.2026 w.e.f. 10.06.2024. 

Another point that grabs the attention is that the newly appointed PS to PM Shaktikanta Das and Union Cabinet Secretary Dr T V Somanathan (IAS: 1987: TN) belong to the same Cadre, Tamilnadu.