Garg to be Telecom Secretary, Mohapatra to be Fertiliser Secy

Government today appointed a 1980 batch IAS officer Rakesh Garg as new telecom secretary and Jugal Kishore Mohapatra as Fertiliser Secretary.

Mohapatra, a 1979 batch IAS officer, is currently serving as chief secretary of Orissa. He would fill the vacancy created after Shaktikanta Das was moved to Revenue Department last month.

Besides, Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has also approved appointment of Rajan S Katoch as Heavy Industries Secretary and S K Panda as Secretary Ministry of Textiles.

Katoch, a 1979 batch IAS officer and serving as Enforcement Director would replace S Behuria, who retires on July 31.

Panda, a 1980 batch IAS officer would succeed Zohra Chatterji who retires at the end of this month.

Katoch will also look after the duties of the post of Enforcement Director in addition to the charge of Heavy Industry Secretary for a period of six months or till the appointment of a regular incumbent, an official order said.

The ACC approved appointment of Rakesh Garg, at present in the cadre, as secretary, Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Communications and IT in vacancy of M F Farooqui, an official order said.

Presently, Garg is Principal Secretary in Uttar Pradesh. During his central deputation he has served at the post of additional Secretary in Ministry of Tourism, joint secretary at Department of Food and Public Distribution.

Farooqui retired on June 30 after which the Secretary at Department of Electronics and IT, R S Sharma given additional charge of DoT.