NDA govt kicks off secy-level appointments

In the first secretary-level appointments by the Narendra Modi government, Rakesh Garg was today named the new Telecom Secretary while Jugal Kishore Mohapatra is to be Secretary in the fertilizers ministry.
Ahead of his departure for Brazil for the BRICS summit, Prime Minister Modi cleared fresh appointments for various ministries.
According to the official order, Garg, a 1980-batch Uttar Pradesh-cadre officer, was appointed the new Telecom Secretary.
The vacancy for the post was created after MF Farooqui had superannuated. Garg was on central deputation till 2012 and returns to the Centre after serving in various capacities, including as Principle Secretary to UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

Sanjay Kothari, a 1978-batch IAS officer from Haryana, has been appointed as the new Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training. He will take over from SK Sarkar, who retires on July 31.
Kothari was serving as Secretary of Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances and Secretary, Department of Pensions and Pensioners' Welfare. This will be looked after now by N Ravi Shanker, a 1980-batch IAS officer from Uttarakhand. He was Administrator of Universal Service Obligation Fund in the Department of Telecommunications.

Chief Secretary of Odisha, Jugal Kishore Mohapatra, a 1979 -batch Odisha cadre IAS officer, has been appointed as Secretary in the Department of Fertilizers, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. He replaces Shaktikanta Das, a 1980-batch IAS officer from Tamil Nadu who has been appointed as Revenue Secretary.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by the Prime Minister also cleared the appointment of Enforcement Director Rajan S Katoch as Secretary in the Department of Heavy Industry. He will, however, continue to hold the post of ED chief for a period of six months or till a regular incumbent is named to the post of Enforcement Director.
Katoch, a 1979-batch IAS officer of Madhya Pradesh cadre, will take over his new assignment after the present incumbent, Sutanu Behuria, retires on July 31.