The team that will prepare the Budget for 2004-05 is finally in place, with Finance Secretary DC Gupta being appointed secretary in the department of economic affairs (DEA).
D Swarup, additional secretary in the department of expenditure, has been promoted as officer on special duty (OSD) in the same department. He will replace Gupta as expenditure secretary.
NS Sisodia, who was tipped to take over as DEA secretary, will continue as secretary, banking and insurance.
The key members of the Budget team, besides Gupta and Swarup, include Revenue Secretary Vineeta Rai and Chief Economic Adviser Ashok Lahiri. MMK Sardana is the secretary, department of company affairs.
In appointing Gupta DEA secretary, Finance Minister Jaswant Singh has restored the earlier convention of vesting the finance secretary with the charge of economic affairs.
