The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet Approves 18 Major Appointments

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The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved 18 senior-level appointments, marking a significant reshuffle in the Modi government’s third term.

An Overview of the News

• Rajesh Kumar Singh, a 1989-batch IAS officer of the Kerala cadre, will become the new Defense Secretary. 

• Singh will initially serve as Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Defense before officially taking over on October 31, 2024. His tenure is extended until October 31, 2026.

Health Ministry Leadership Change: Punya Salila Srivastava

• Punya Salila Srivastava, a 1993-batch AGMUT-cadre IAS officer, is appointed as the new Health Secretary. 

• She will start as Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare until Apurva Chandra's retirement on September 30, 2024.

Other Key Appointments:

• Vivek Joshi, a 1989-batch Haryana-cadre IAS officer, becomes the Secretary of the Department of Personnel and Training.

• K Srinivas, a 1989-batch Gujarat-cadre IAS officer, will take over as Secretary of the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs.

• Manoj Govil is appointed Secretary of the Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.

• Deepti Gaur Mukherjee, a 1993-batch IAS officer, will become the Secretary of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.

Additional Changes:

• Umashankar is appointed as Officer on Special Duty to the President, transitioning to the President’s Secretary role.

• Chandra Sekhar Kumar, a 1992-batch Orissa-cadre officer, will be the new Secretary for the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

• Ashok Kumar Kaluaram Meena, formerly Chairman and Managing Director of the Food Corporation of India, is appointed Secretary of the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation in the Ministry of Jal Shakti.