The Appointments Committee of Cabinet on Wednesday approved Gujarat-cadre Indian Police Service officer Vivek Srivastava’s name for the next chief of the Special Protection Group (SPG), which provides security to the prime minister, former prime ministers and their families.
The 1989-batch police officer, who has been on central deputation, is currently posted at Intelligence Bureau.
Srivastava's appointment is ''against the upgraded post of DIG in SPG'', according to a statement issued by the Department of Personnel and Training.
Last month, the government announced replacing SPG chief Durga Prasad while he was with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Nepal to attend the Saarc summit. The current SPG establishment was seen as being close to the Congress, especially to the Gandhi family. Officials indicated that Modi wanted a Gujarat-cadre official as SPG chief. Srivastava, believed to be a competent officer, is among the many bureaucrats from his home state, who have been posted at the Centre now in top jobs.
