PM’s Pack of his 52 Ministers review complete

Focus on Mega pending projects

Modi to get his 2024 War Team soon 

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Even as the Opposition is grappling to evolve a common strategy to take on the BJP in 2024 Lok Sabha polls, PM Narendra Modi has completed a month-long exercise reviewing the performance of his 52 Union Ministers. The 53rd minister, Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ (Education) could not participate as he was down with Covid.

Highly placed sources in the Prime Minister’s Office told Lokmat the PM split his 52 ministers into 10-sub-groups and meetings were held with each group lasting throughout the day. With some of the groups the meetings spilled over to even for two days.

The free-wheeling discussions took place after each Cabinet Minister made a Power-Point Presentation of the tasks assigned in 2019, targets achieved during two years and likely scenarios by July-August 2023.

The PM reportedly made it clear to all the ministries that each one of them will have to come out with at least two to three projects which could be show-cased before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls to the people. In these free-wheeling discussions, the PM also said that the ministries must complete all the projects by August 2023 as 2024 will be an election year.

For example, the PM is keen that his dream ‘Bullet Train project’ is completed by 2023. Similarly, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar highlighted the preparations for the G-20 Summit which India will be hosting for the first time in 2023. He has been traveling for almost 20 days a month these days.

The review reflected the under-performance of some of the ministries particularly in telecom and education. There is a view that young faces be brought in to develop future leaders. The impending Cabinet reshuffle which is to take place anytime will show-case PM’s War team for 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Ex Finance Secretary Garg now Adviser to Andhra CM

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Ex Finance Secretary Garg now Adviser to Andhra CM

New Delhi, March 2

Subhash Chandra Garg, who was unceremoniously shunted out of the Finance Ministry as Finance Secretary, has been appointed by the Andhra Government as  Advisor to Chief Minister (Resource Mobilisation) in the rank of Cabinet Minister.

Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chief Minister Andhra Pradesh made this appointment.

Garg, a retired IAS officer of the 1993 of the Rajasthan cadre had sought VRS after NaMo administration abruptly shifted him to the Ministry of Power in July last year. On completion of three months as mandatory period, he applied for the VRS application. He will hold the Cabinet rank and help in bringing resources for the state. 

Major shake up in the bureaucracy, dozens affected

by Harish Gupta, National Editor, Lokmat Group

Major shake up in the bureaucracy, dozens affected

Harish gupta

new delhi, oct 22

In a major overhaul of the bureaucracy, the NaMo administration made nearly two dozen changes at the level of the secretary and upgraded/downgraded the posts of dozen odd officers of the level of joint secretaries.

Braj Raj Sharma (IAS:1984:JK) was appointed Chairman, Staff Selection Commission and moved away as Secretary, Department of Border Management (MHA). Sanjeev Gupta (IAS:1985:HP) appointed (in-situ) as Secretary, Inter State Council Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs while Sailesh was appointed as Secretary, Department of Public Enterprises. Presently, Sailesh is Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs. Alok Tandon, an officer of the UP cadre was appointed as Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances. In his new assignment he will hold the additional charge of the post of Secretary, Department of Pensions and Pensioners Welfare. Presently, he is serving as Chairman Noida Authority. Sanjeev Nandan Sahai (IAS:1986:UT) appointed (In-situ) as Secretary, Ministry of Power vice Subhash Chandra Garg (IAS:1983:RJ) who retires on October 31. Sahai is working as Special Secretary, Ministry of Power.

Pramod Kumar Das (IAS:1986:MP) appointed as Secretary, Ministry of Minority Affairs. Presently, he is Special Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.

Nagendra Nath Sinha (IAS:1987:JH) who was Chairman, NHAI under Nitin Gadkari has been sent as Secretary, Department of Border Management (MHA).

Tuhin Kanta Pandey was appointed as Secretary, Department of Investment and Public Asset Management in place of Anil Kumar Khachi who was repatriated to Himachal.

Pankaj Kumar of Nagaland cadre, is the new CEO, Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) in the rank and pay of Secretary by temporarily upgrading the post. Presently, he is Additional Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Rajesh Bhushan was appointed (In-situ) as Secretary (Coordination) in the Cabinet Secretariat.

Pravir Krishna, MD, TRIFED in the rank and pay of Secretary.

Further, over a dozen of IAS officers belonging to 1987 batch of IAS were elevated (In-situ) as Special Secretary in the rank and pay of Secretary (GoI), in their respective ministries/departments presently serving in the rank of Additional Secretary. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet extended the upgradation/downgradation about 12 joint secretaries.