The central government has unveiled a noteworthy reshuffle in senior administrative positions, introducing new leadership across several key ministries. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has sanctioned a series of transfers and appointments designed to bolster governance in core sectors.
Amit Agrawal, a 1993-batch IAS officer from the Chhattisgarh cadre, has been appointed as the Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications. He succeeds Neeraj Mittal, who served in the telecom department since September 2023.
Neeraj Mittal will now lead the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas as Secretary, taking over from Pankaj Jain. Pankaj Jain has been transitioned to the Eighth Central Pay Commission as Member Secretary. These changes are part of a comprehensive administrative restructuring within the government.
Manoj Joshi, who is presently Secretary of the Department of Land Resources, has been appointed as Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals, succeeding Amit Agrawal, who now oversees the telecom portfolio. Meanwhile, Tourism Secretary V Vidyavathi has been reassigned to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Srivatsa Krishna, a senior IAS officer from Karnataka, will now head the tourism portfolio. In a separate move, Atish Chandra, currently serving as Special Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare. He is set to assume the full role of Secretary after the incumbent's retirement on February 28, 2026.
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