Within two months Subrahmanyam out, Kharola in as ITPO Chief
In a major upheaval, the Central Government removed Former
Commerce Secretary BVR Subrahmanyam as Chairman & MD of the India Trade
Promotion Organization (ITPO). Within two months of his appointment,
Subrahmanyam was removed and Pradeep Singh Kharola appointed CMD of the
ITPO.
This is something unusual as no reasons for the removal of the 1988
batch IAS officer were given. Interestingly, after the abrogation of
Article 370 on August 5, 2019, Subrahmanyam was appointed Chief Secretary of
the J&K and he cracked the whip in
the Valley. The state saw a communication blockade and the arrest of thousands
of people including three former chief ministers, Subrahmanyam was seen as the
most powerful person in J&K.
However, he fell out with the J&K Lieutenant Governor G C Murmu who
was also PM Modi’s most trusted bureaucrat. Subrahmanyam was recalled from
J&K and appointed Commerce Secretary and upon his retirement, he was given
the ITPO prestigious post. Murmu was also recalled and made CAG.
The Cabinet Committee of Appointment approved the appointment of retired
IAS officer Pradeep Singh Kharola as CMD of ITPO for a period of two years. The
order was issued by the Department of Personnel and Training on Wednesday
night. Kharola was Civil Aviation Secretary and CMD of AIR INDIA which was
privatized.
Kharola will continue to hold the charge of the post of Chairman, National
Recruitment Agency till appointment of a regular incumbent in his place, it
added. Kharola was appointed Chairman of the NRA in March this year. But within
a span of six months, he has been appointed as CMD of ITPO. No new posting has
been announced for Subrahmanyam who was appointed there in June, 2022.
