The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday cleared the reshuffle of 48 senior bureaucrats, bringing in key allies and experienced administrators across the country’s economic and administrative apparatus. The move shows the government’s intention to streamline the implementation of trade, finance and infrastructure policies.
Notable changes include the transition of Hardik Satishchandra Shah as Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, an important joint secretary-level role within the PMO. Meanwhile, Jawahar Packirisamy takes the helm of the Marine Products Export Development Authority, a critical post as India pursues more aggressive export targets.
The restructuring also targets the Ministry of Economic Affairs and the National Land Monetization Corporation, placing dedicated officials such as Sakshi Mittal, Laya Madduri and Rohan Chand Thakur in roles designed to speed up asset unlocking and fiscal management.
While Mittal and Madduri were appointed Joint Secretaries in the Department of Economic Affairs, Thakur was appointed Director General (Joint Secretary Level) of the National Land Monetization Corporation (NLMC) under the Ministry of Public Enterprises.
Among other appointments, Kapil Meena, IAS, has been appointed as Executive Director, National Horticulture Board, Department of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare; G. Venkatesh, lCoAS, as Joint Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals; and Priyanka Das, IAS, as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Civil Aviation.
Further, Preeti Meena, IAS, Shailesh Kumar Chourasia, IAS, and Vinod Kumar, IRSME, have been appointed as Joint Secretaries in the Ministry of Defence, while Ajeet Kumar Srivastava, IRAS, has been appointed as Additional FA and Joint Secretary in the same department.
Alaknanda Dayal, IAS, has been appointed Joint Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, while Suvasish Das, IFOS, has been appointed Joint Secretary, Ministry of Tourism. Pratima Satish Kumar Verma, IAS, has been appointed as Commissioner (JS Level), NESTS, and Rashi Sharma, IPoS (2003), has been appointed as Executive Director (Admin) (JS Level), National Clean Ganga Mission.
Last month, the government appointed India’s chief administrative officer Vir Vikram Yadav as the country’s aviation regulator’s new chief amid recent flight disruptions linked to the implementation of new pilot rest standards.
Yadav replaces Faiz Ahmed Kidwai as Director General, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, who has been transferred to the Department of Personnel and Training under the Prime Minister’s Office. Both officers will assume the rank of Additional Secretary. The government has shifted Chanchal Kumar, Secretary, Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) to the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. Sanjay Jaju will take over as the new secretary of MDoNER.
