In a significant move, the Indian government has announced a major reshuffle of senior bureaucrats, appointing new heads for several key ministries. This shake-up comes as several incumbent secretaries are set to retire in the coming months.
The most prominent appointment is that of Punya Salila Srivastava as the new Health Secretary. Currently serving as a special secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Srivastava will initially take on the role of Officer on Special Duty (OSD) in the Department of Health and Family Welfare. She will officially assume the position of Health Secretary on September 30, following the retirement of incumbent Apurva Chandra.
Another significant change involves Rajesh Kumar Singh, the secretary for the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, who has been named the new Defence Secretary. He will initially serve as the OSD in the Defence Ministry before taking over from Aramane Giridhar on October 31, 2024.
In other appointments, Katikithala Srinivas, the current Minority Affairs Secretary, will become the new Housing and Urban Affairs Secretary. Deepti Umashankar has been appointed as the new Secretary to the President of India. Vivek Joshi, the Financial Services Secretary, will take over as the new Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), with Nagaraju Maddirala, currently an Additional Secretary in the Coal Ministry, taking his place as the next Financial Services Secretary.
Earlier this month, on August 10, Finance Secretary TV Somanathan was named as the new Cabinet Secretary for a two-year term, succeeding Rajiv Gauba, who completes his five-year term in the top bureaucratic post this month.
Furthermore, the government is expected to appoint a new Union Home Secretary soon, as incumbent Ajay Kumar Bhalla completes his five-year tenure on August 22.
These changes signify a significant shift in the Indian government’s bureaucratic landscape, with experienced officials taking on new roles in key ministries. The government hopes these appointments will bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to address critical challenges facing the country.
