Just about a month ahead of the Union Budget, the government today announced a major bureacuratic reshuffle involving 19 top officials in key economic ministries. Dipak Chatterjee, secretary, department of mines, will replace Prabir Sengupta as commerce secretary with effect from January 31, 2002, when the latter superannuates from service.
Included in the list of 15 secretary-level and five additional secretary-level reshuffle are Nripendra Misra, special secretary, department of commerce, who will be the new fertiliser secretary. He will replace Ashok Pahwa, who also retires on January 31. Besides, NL Lakhanpal, director general of foreign trade, is being promoted to the rank of secretary.
S S Boparai, adviser, Planning Commission, has been appointed secretary to the commission in place of Ajit Kumar who also retires on January 31. Boparai is being replaced by Krishna Bhatnagar.
More From This Section
AK Kundra, chairman, tariff commission, will take over as mines secretary in place of Chatterjee. Kundra's place will be taken over by additional revenue secretary GC Srivastava. Srivastava will be posted in the rank and pay of secretary, an official release said. He will be replaced by A Dasgupta.
AK Goswami, director general, National Productivity Council, has been appointed secretary, department of drinking water supply.
Ashok Pradhan will hold the posts of secretary, small-scale industries as well ministry of agro and rural industries. Binoo Sen will take over as special secretary and central relief commissioner in the department of agriculture and cooperation replacing Pradhan.