Bureaucratic Rejig: New Appointments Announced

New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) Senior bureaucrat Rajit Punhani has been appointed the Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), as part of a top-level bureaucratic reshuffle effected by the Centre on Friday.

Punhani, a 1991 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Bihar cadre, is currently the Skill Development and Entrepreneurship Secretary.

His appointment was announced in an order issued by the Personnel Ministry.

He will be replaced by Debashree Mukherjee in his previous post. Mukherjee is currently Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.

Mines Secretary V L Kantha Rao has been shifted as Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation in place of Mukherjee.

Piyush Goyal, who is currently the CEO of NATGRID under the Home Ministry, has been named as Secretary, Ministry of Mines, in place of Rao.

Vijay Kumar has been named as Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. He is currently the Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India.

Kumar has been appointed the Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The officer will take over as the Secretary in the ministry after the superannuation of T K Ramachandran on September 30, the order said.

Animal Husbandry & Dairying Secretary Alka Upadhyaya has been appointed the National Commission for Minorities Secretary.

Naresh Pal Gangwar, Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, will replace Upadhyaya in her previous post.

Atish Chandra, Additional Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO), has been appointed the Special Secretary at the same place.

Sukriti Likhi has been appointed the OSD, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, Ministry of Defence. Likhi will take over as Secretary, Department of Ex-Servicemen Welfare, after the superannuation of Niten Chandra on October 31.

Likhi is currently Chairperson, National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention.

Roli Singh, Additional Secretary in the Department of Health & Family Welfare, will be the new Chairperson of the National Authority Chemical Weapons Convention in place of Likhi.

Trishaljit Sethi, Director General (Training) in the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, will be Secretary, Central Vigilance Commission, the order said.

Niraj Verma, Administrator, Universal Service Obligation Fund under the Department of Telecommunications, has been appointed the OSD of the Department of Justice.

The officer will take over as Secretary, Department of Justice, Ministry of Law & Justice, after the superannuation of Raj Kumar Goyal on August 31, 2025.

Ranjana Chopra, Special Secretary & Financial Adviser in the Ministry of Culture, will be OSD, Ministry of Tribal Affairs.

She will take over as Tribal Affairs Secretary after the superannuation of Vibhu Nayar on October 31.

Sanjay Garg, Additional Secretary in the Department of Agricultural Research & Education and Secretary, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, has been named the OSD of Bureau of Indian Standards under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution.

Garg will take over as Director General, Bureau of Indian Standards, after the superannuation of Pramod Kumar Tiwari on October 31, the order said.

Ajay Bhadoo, Additional Secretary in the Commerce and Industry Ministry, has been given an additional charge of the post of Director General, Directorate General of Foreign Trade from April 21, 2025, to October 20, 2025, another order said.