Prem Narain to be new secretary of WCD Ministry

Narain, an Uttar Pradesh cadre IAS officer of 1978 batch, is currently Principal Adviser in the Planning Commission.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Narain in place of Neela Gangadharan on her retirement on July 31, a release from Ministry of Personnel, Public grievances and Pensions said.

K Ratnaprabha, a 1981 batch IAS officer of Karnataka cadre, has replaced Sudhir Kumar as Additional Secretary, WCD Ministry.

"Similarly, the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Anil Goswami, IAS,(JK:78), currently Special Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs as Secretary, Department of Social Justice and Empowerment, Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment vice K M Acharya on his retirement on June 30, 2012," it said.

Goswami was also given the additional charge of Secretary, Department of Disability Affairs from July 1.

In other orders, I C Goyal, currently Additional Secretary and Director General, CGHS in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was given the charge of Additional Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat against the newly created post.

Similarly, Vijay Shankar Madan, currently Additional Secretary, Ministry of Culture was appointed Additional Secretary and Financial Adviser, Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

The Committee has also approved the extension of tenure of Dr Ashok K Lahiri, as Executive Director, Asian Development Bank for a period of one year beyond June 30, 2012.

He had served as Additional Director of Electrotherm (India) Ltd from October 26, 2010 to February 4, 2011.

Dr Lahiri also served as Director of Export-Import Bank of India and as Director of UCO Bank from March 25, 2004 to July 16, 2007 and Industrial Finance Corporation of India Ltd, the release said.