In a massive late night reshuffle of central bureaucracy, PM transfers 8 secretary level officers

New Delhi: In a reshuffle of senior officials, 1980-batch IAS officer Aradhana Johri has been appointed Secretary in the Disinvestment department. Johri, an Uttar Pradesh cadre officer, is presently Secretary in the Department of Pharmaceuticals. She will take over from Ravi Mathur, who superannuates on September 30, said an order issued late on Wednesday evening by the Appointments Committee of Cabinet. VK Subburaj, the Secretary in National Commission for Scheduled Castes, has been moved to the Department of Pharmaceuticals in place of Johri.

Besides her, the government has also issued orders for appointment of seven new secretaries. Rajiv Takru, a 1979-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, has been appointed as Secretary in National Commission for Minorities. He is working as Secretary, Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).

Takru has been appointed in place of Surjit Kumar Chaudhary, who has been moved as Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals. Chaudhary, a 1980-batch IAS officer of Tamil Nadu cadre, will take over from Indrajit Pal, who retires at the end of this month. R Vijaykumar, a 1978-batch Tamil Nadu cadre IAS officer, has been appointed as the new DoNER Secretary in place of Takru. Vijaykumar is presently Secretary in the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes.

Kapil Dev Tripathi, a 1980-batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre IAS officer, has been appointed as Secretary in the Department of Public Enterprises. Tripathi, who is presently Secretary in the Central Vigilance Commission, has been appointed in place of Kusumjit Sidhu. Sidhu, a 1979-batch IAS officer of Punjab cadre, has been shifted to the Department of Justice at the same level. She will take over charge from Anita Kaul, who retires on September 30, the order said.

Satyanarayan Mohanty, a 1980-batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as Secretary in Department of Higher Education. Mohanty, who is presently Secretary in the National Disaster Management Authority, will take over from Ashok Thakur, who superannuates this month end. The government had on Tuesday effected changes in the mid-level bureaucracy by transferring about 40 IAS officers in various government departments.