The Appointment Committee of Cabinet has Approved the Appointment of Senior IAS Officers

New Delhi, 28 August 2025: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the following appointments:

1. Ms. Alka Upadhyaya, lAS (MP:90), Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying as Secretary, National Commission for Minorites, Ministry of Minority Affairs in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India.
2. Shri Rajit Punhani, lAS (BH:91), Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship as Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India vice Shri Ganji Kamala V. Rao, AS (KL:90) (Retd.) upon completion of term of re-employment of Shri Rao on 31 .08.2025 by temporarily upgrading the post to Secretary level.
3. Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, lAS (AGMUT:91), Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti as Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship vice Shri Rajit Punhani, lAS (BH:91) upon his appointment as Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.
4. Shri Vijay Kumar, lAS (AGMUT:92), Chairman, Inland Waterways Authority of India, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways as Officer on Special Duty, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India. The officer will take over as Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways vice Shri T. K. Ramachandran, lAS (TN:91) upon his superannuation on 30.09.2025.
5. Shri V. L. Kantha Rao, lAS (MP:92), Secretary, Ministry of Mines as Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti vice Ms. Debashree Mukherjee, lAS (AGMUT:91) upon her appointment as Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship.
6. Ms. Sukriti Likhi, lAS (HY:93), Chairperson, National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention as Officer on Special Duty, Department of ExServicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India on 01,10.2025. The officer will take over as Secretary, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence vice Shri Niten Chandra, lAS (OR:90) upon his superannuation on 31.10.2025.
7. Ms. Ranjana Chopra, lAS (OR:94). Special Secretary & Financial Adviser, Ministry of Culture as Officer on Special Duty, Ministry of Tribal Affairs in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India on 01.10.2025. The officer will take over as Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs vice Shri Vibhu Nayar, lAS (TN:90) upon his superannuation on 31.10.2025.
8. Shri Naresh Pal Gangwar, lAS (RJ:94), Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change as Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying vice Ms. Alka Upadhyaya, lAS (MP:90) upon her appointment as Secretary, National Commission for Minorites, Ministry of Minority Affairs.
9. Shri Niraj Verma, lAS (AM:94), Administrator, Universal Service Obligation Fund, Department of Telecommunications as Officer on Special Duty, Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India. The officer will take over as Secretary, Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice vice Shri Raj Kumar Goyal, lAS (AGMUT:90) upon his superannuation on 31.08.2025.
10. Shri Atish Chandra, lAS (BH:94), Additional Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office as Special Secretary, Prime Minister’s Office by temporarily upgrading the post held by him to Special Secretary level in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India as a measure personal to the officer.
11. Shri Piyush Goyal, lAS (NL:94), CEO, NATGRID, Ministry of Home Affairs as Secretary, Ministry of Mines vice Shri V. L. Kantha Rao, lAS (MP:92) upon his appointment as Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
12. Shri Sanjay Garg, lAS (KL:94), Additional Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research & Education and Secretary. Indian Council of Agricultural Research as Officer on Special Duty, Bureau of Indian Standards, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India. The officer will take over as Director General, Bureau of Indian Standards, Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India vice Shri Pramod Kumar Tiwari, lAS (AM:91) upon his superannuation on 31.10.2025 by temporarily upgrading the post to Secretary level.
13. Ms. Roli Singh, lAS (RJ:94), Additional Secretary, Department of Health & Family Welfare as Chairperson, National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India vice Ms. Sukriti Likhi, lAS (HY:93) upon her appointment as Officer on Special Duty. Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence on 01.10.2025.
14. Ms. Trishaljit Sethi, lPoS:90, Director General (Training), Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship as Secretary, Central Vigilance Commission in the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India by temporarily upgrading the post to Secretary level.