Amid speculation from opposition parties and sections of the bureaucracy regarding the NDA government’s ability to take decisive action in a coalition scenario, Prime Minister Narendra Modi initiated a significant reshuffle in the country’s top administrative positions on Friday. This reshuffling involved over 20 senior Indian Administrative Services (IAS) officers, aimed at enhancing governance delivery and signaling the government’s intent to drive impactful decisions.
This administrative shake-up closely follows the recent appointments of Govind Mohan and TV Somanathan as the new Home Secretary and Cabinet Secretary, respectively, underscoring the government’s intent to bring fresh perspectives to key roles. Earlier this month, Hindustan Times had reported on an impending transformation within the bureaucracy.
Among the key appointments is Rajesh Kumar Singh, an IAS officer from the 1989 Kerala batch, who has been named as the next Defence Secretary, replacing A Giridhar. Manoj Govil, a 1991-batch IAS officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre, will now serve as the Secretary of the Department of Expenditure in the Ministry of Finance.
Punya Salila Srivastava, an AGMUT cadre officer from the 1993 batch currently serving as Special Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, has been designated as the new Health Secretary. Deepti Umashankar, a 1993 Haryana cadre officer, will take on the role of Secretary to President Droupadi Murmu.
Additionally, the National Health Authority’s CEO, Deepti Gaur Mukherjee, from the 1993 MP cadre, will now serve as Secretary of the Ministry of Corporate Affairs. Sanjeev Kumar, a 1993 Maharashtra cadre officer, has been appointed Secretary, Defence Production at the Ministry of Defence.
Another notable assignment involves Arunish Chawla, a 1992 Bihar cadre officer, who has been given additional charge as Secretary, Ministry of Culture.
The reshuffling indicates that Prime Minister Modi remains determined and proactive in driving forward governance reforms, despite claims by some in the opposition and bureaucracy that the administration might be restrained by coalition dynamics. This move reflects the government’s focus on delivery and efficiency across critical departments as it prepares for upcoming challenges.
