AAP government reshuffles bureaucrats

Within hours of assuming charge in Delhi, the AAP government Saturday effected a reshuffle in bureaucracy, making top-level changes in the Delhi Jal Board and power department and appointing Rajendra Kumar as secretary to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Both the power department and DJB are crucial for the Aam Aadmi Party to fulfill its talked-about poll promises of reducing power tariff by half and providing 700 litres of water free to each household every day.

Nine Indian Administrative Service officers were reshuffled.

According to an official release, Puneet Goel, the transport secretary-cum-commissioner, will be the new power secretary.

Vijay Kumar, who was CMD of the Delhi Transport Corporation, has been posted as CEO of Delhi Jal Board on deputation. He swops places with Debashree Mukherjee, who will also be on deputation.

The release said that the terms and condition of deputation regarding Mukherjee and Kumar will be settled in due course

R.K. Verma, who was principal secretary, power, has been shifted to higher education, training and technical education.

He will also also hold the additional charge of principal secretary, IT, held currently by Rajendra Kumar.

M.M Kutty who was principal secretary (finance, planning, tourism) has been shifted to social welfare and child development, a post held by Anindo Majumdar.

Archana Arora, the principal secretary, home, will hold additional charge of finance, while Arvind Ray, the principal secretary-cum-commissioner, development, will hold additional charge of secretary-cum-commissioner, transport.