Big bureaucratic reset: Vir Vikram Yadav is new DGCA chief; Centre reshuffles top secretaries
Sanjay Lohiya has been appointed Special Secretary in the Department of Financial Services and is set to take over as Secretary after the superannuation of the incumbent.
- Mar 31, 2026,
- Updated Mar 31, 2026 6:32 PM IST
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Tuesday approved a wide-ranging reshuffle of senior bureaucrats, appointing and reassigning multiple IAS officers across key ministries in the Union government.
The changes span departments including information and broadcasting, tourism, rural development, financial services, minority affairs, and micro, small & medium enterprises, alongside several upgrades to secretary-level positions.
Among the prominent appointments, Nivedita Shukla Verma has been named Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, with additional charge of the Department of Pensions and Pensioners' Welfare. Tejveer Singh will replace her as Secretary in the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals.
Chanchal Kumar has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, while Sanjay Jaju moves to the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region in a reciprocal shift between the two ministries.
In another key change, Narendra Bhooshan has been appointed Secretary, Department of Land Resources under the Ministry of Rural Development. Chandra Sekhar Kumar has been moved to head the National Rainfed Area Authority as Chief Executive Officer in the rank of Secretary.
Srivatsa Krishna has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, while Bhuvnesh Kumar will take over as Secretary, Ministry of Tourism.
The finance and economic ministries also saw changes. Sanjay Lohiya has been appointed Special Secretary in the Department of Financial Services and is set to take over as Secretary after the superannuation of the incumbent.
Rohit Kansal will serve as Secretary, Department of Rural Development, while Bharat Harbanslal Khera has been designated Officer on Special Duty in the MSME Ministry and will assume full charge as Secretary later.
In the technology and education space, Abhishek Singh has been appointed Director General of the National Testing Agency in the rank of Secretary.
The reshuffle also includes several appointments at the additional secretary level. Puneet Kansal has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, while Mona K. Khandar takes over as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai has been named Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, and Vir Vikram Yadav will serve as Director General of Civil Aviation. Sridhar Chiruvollu has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Other appointments include Gyandendra D. Tripathi in the Agriculture Research and Education Department, Vishal Gagan in the Central Information Commission, N. Gulzar in the National Capital Region Planning Board, Divakar Nath Misra in the Ministry of Power, and Debasish Prusty in the Department of Financial Services.
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on Tuesday approved a wide-ranging reshuffle of senior bureaucrats, appointing and reassigning multiple IAS officers across key ministries in the Union government.
The changes span departments including information and broadcasting, tourism, rural development, financial services, minority affairs, and micro, small & medium enterprises, alongside several upgrades to secretary-level positions.
Among the prominent appointments, Nivedita Shukla Verma has been named Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, with additional charge of the Department of Pensions and Pensioners' Welfare. Tejveer Singh will replace her as Secretary in the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals.
Chanchal Kumar has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, while Sanjay Jaju moves to the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region in a reciprocal shift between the two ministries.
In another key change, Narendra Bhooshan has been appointed Secretary, Department of Land Resources under the Ministry of Rural Development. Chandra Sekhar Kumar has been moved to head the National Rainfed Area Authority as Chief Executive Officer in the rank of Secretary.
Srivatsa Krishna has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs, while Bhuvnesh Kumar will take over as Secretary, Ministry of Tourism.
The finance and economic ministries also saw changes. Sanjay Lohiya has been appointed Special Secretary in the Department of Financial Services and is set to take over as Secretary after the superannuation of the incumbent.
Rohit Kansal will serve as Secretary, Department of Rural Development, while Bharat Harbanslal Khera has been designated Officer on Special Duty in the MSME Ministry and will assume full charge as Secretary later.
In the technology and education space, Abhishek Singh has been appointed Director General of the National Testing Agency in the rank of Secretary.
The reshuffle also includes several appointments at the additional secretary level. Puneet Kansal has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Civil Aviation, while Mona K. Khandar takes over as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Faiz Ahmed Kidwai has been named Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training, and Vir Vikram Yadav will serve as Director General of Civil Aviation. Sridhar Chiruvollu has been appointed Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Other appointments include Gyandendra D. Tripathi in the Agriculture Research and Education Department, Vishal Gagan in the Central Information Commission, N. Gulzar in the National Capital Region Planning Board, Divakar Nath Misra in the Ministry of Power, and Debasish Prusty in the Department of Financial Services.