Sanjay Malhotra becomes new DFS sectary in top level bureaucratic reshuffle

The position of secretary DFS fell vacant just a day ahead of the presentation of the Union Budget when Debashish Panda failed to get a extension after completing his tenure in the government. As a stop gap arrangement, the government then gave Rajesh Verma the additional charge of secretary DFS.

Sanjay Malhotra is a 1990 batch IAS officer from Rajasthan cadre. He took over as the Chairman and Managing Director of state run REC Ltd, one of India’s largest power sector lenders in November 2020. He was earlier posted in the union power ministry as additional secretary. REC and state run Power Finance Corp. are the nodal agencies for implementing the marquee ₹3.03 trillion power discom reform scheme.

Malhotra has an exhaustive power sector experience. The reforms-based result-linked power distribution sector scheme to be applicable till 2025-26 aims to reduce India’s AT&C loss to 12-15% and gradually narrow the deficit between the cost of electricity and the price at which it is supplied to ‘zero’ by 2024-25.

In other top-level changes in the bureaucracy, the government also appointed 1989 batch West Bengal cadre IAS officer S. Kishore, as Chairman, Staff Selection Commission in the rank and pay of Secretary to Government of India by temporarily upgrading the post and keeping the Recruitment Rules of the post in abeyance. Kishore is

currently Special Secretary, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

In other appointments, Alkesh Kumar Sharma, a 1990 batch lAS officer who is currently Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat has been appointed as Secretary (Coordination), Cabinet Secretariat.

Also, Manoj Ahuja, lAS and current Chairman, Central Board of Secondary Education, Ministry of Education has been appointed as OSD, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare. He will take over as Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare upon superannuation of Sanjay Agarawal.

According to a department of personnel and training order, Arti Ahuja, Additional Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare had been appointed as Secretary, Department of Chemicals and Petro-Chemicals, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers and P. Daniel, Additional Secretary, Central Vigilance Commission has been given charge as Secretary, Central Vigilance Commission in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary to the Government of India.

The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) also approved in-situ upgradation of several officers to the level of Special Secretary in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India as a measure personal to them. Accordingly, Mukhmeet Singh Bhatia, lAS and Director General, Employees State Insurance Corporation, Ministry of Labour and Employment has been given the charge as Director General, Employees’ State Insurance Corporation, Ministry of Labour and Employment in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India. Similarly, Meeta R. Lochan, Member Secretary, National Commission for Women, Ministry of Women and Child Development had been made as Member Secretary, National Commission for Women, Ministry of Women and Child Development in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India.

The current top level bureaucratic reshuffle comes just a month after a similar top level changes effected by the ACC that led to appointment of close to 10 secretaries to the government. The government is not only bringing the right talent to key positions but also encouraging officers with good track record to get elevated positions in the same department.