FinMin likely to see major churn

With Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee likely to be elevated to the president’s post, the finance ministry is likely to see a churn of its senior officials.

With Mukherjee, his advisor Omita Paul, considered the most powerful official in the ministry, would also move out. As Economic Affairs Secretary R Gopalan’s three-month extension would end in July, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) is looking for someone to take his role. The role is vital to pushing critical reforms and implementation issues.

Senior government officials said Finance and Revenue Secretary R S Gujral was also expected to be replaced to facilitate a coordinated approach between the finance ministry and the PMO.

Another senior official, Chief Economic Advisor Kaushik Basu, is also set to leave the ministry and return to Cornell University in August. The government has already initiated the process for selecting his successor.

Expenditure Secretary Sumit Bose, according to the current scheme of things, seems likely to continue in the finance ministry, even if Mukherjee shifts to the Rashtrapati Bhavan in July. D K Mittal, secretary in the Department of Financial Services, is also expected to continue in his present capacity.