Sunil Mitra becomes Revenue Secretary

Disinvestment Secretary Sunil Mitra will be the new Revenue Secretary in place of P V Bhide, who retires on January 31.

The name of Mitra, a 1975 batch IAS officer from West Bengal cadre, was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

As Revenue Secretary, Mitra will play a crucial role in the formulation of the Budget proposal, the process for which is on in the Finance Ministry.

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is expected to present the Budget for 2010-11 on February 26.

Sumit Bose, Secretary of 13th Finance Commission, will take over as new Secretary of the Disinvestment department.

Bose, 1976 batch IAS officer from Madhya Pradesh cadre, was with the Commission for nearly two years. The Commission recently submitted its report to President Pratibha Patil.

ACC has also cleared the appointment of B K Sinha, a 1975 batch IAS officer from Bihar, as a new Rural Development Secretary and Mathew C Kunnamkal, a 1976 batch IAS officer from Kerala, as Director General of National Institute of Rural Development in the rank of Secretary.