Rachna Shah, IAS, who was serving as the Secretary of the Ministry of Textiles, has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). This department is responsible for managing India’s civil services.
Shah succeeds Neelam Shammi Rao, IAS, who moves to the Ministry of Textiles, taking over from Shah in this role. Shah, a graduate in Business Economics from Delhi University, has extensive experience, having worked in several important ministries, including Science and Technology and Corporate Affairs.
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Arunish Chawla, IAS, who previously held the position of Secretary in the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, has been appointed as Secretary of the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance. Chawla replaces Sanjay Malhotra, who resigned following his appointment as the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India.
In addition to his new role, Chawla will also continue to hold the additional charge of Secretary at the Ministry of Culture until a permanent appointment is made. Chawla, who has served in various senior positions, including as Additional Chief Secretary for Urban Development and Housing in Bihar, brings with him a wealth of experience in administration and urban planning.
Vineet Joshi, IAS, formerly serving as the Chief Secretary of Manipur, has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education.
Joshi, who holds a degree in mechanical engineering from IIT Kanpur and an MBA from the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, has a long history in civil service. He has previously worked as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Education and also led the National Testing Agency (NTA) as its Director from 2018.
Sanjay Sethi, IAS, has been appointed Secretary of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM), Ministry of Minority Affairs, in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India. Sethi takes over from Neelam Shammi Rao, who has been reassigned to the Ministry of Textiles.
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Sethi has had an extensive career in administrative roles, including serving as the Additional Municipal Commissioner of Projects in the Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM), as well as Municipal Commissioner of Thane and Nagpur. He also held the position of CEO of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC).
Amit Agrawal, IAS, who is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. Agrawal succeeds Chawla, taking over the role with immediate effect.
Agrawal, a graduate of IIT Kanpur, has held several senior positions, including Additional Secretary in both the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Ministry of Finance. His experience also includes a tenure as Finance Secretary in the state government of Chhattisgarh.
Neerja Sekhar, IAS, who was serving as Special Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, has been appointed Director General of the National Productivity Council (NPC). The NPC, which operates under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, works to enhance productivity across various sectors of the Indian economy.
Sekhar, an experienced bureaucrat, brings valuable expertise to her new position as she continues to contribute to India’s economic development.
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