Takru is new revenue secretary, Sandhu gets financial services

After Bose's retirement, senior most among all five secretaries in finance ministry will be appointed Finance Secretary

The government on Tuesday appointed Financial Services Secretary Rajiv Takru as revenue secretary. He will take over charge from Sumit Bose, also finance secretary. Bose retires on March 31.

Gurdial Singh Sandhu from the Rajasthan cadre was named financial services secretary. He will take over from Takru when the latter relinquishes his charge, the appointments committee of the Cabinet said on Tuesday.

After Bose's retirement, the senior most among all five secretaries in the finance ministry will be appointed finance secretary. Economic Affairs Secretary Arvind Mayaram is a 1978 batch officer from the Rajasthan cadre. Expenditure Secretary Ratan P Watal, from Andhra Pradesh cadre, is also from the batch. As such, seniority in terms of the merit list in that year's Indian Administrative Service (IAS) examination may form the basis of the appointment of the finance secretary. Chances are Mayaram may be appointed.

With Sandhu's appointment, the finance ministry will have three secretaries from the Rajasthan cadre. Divestment Secretary Ravi Mathur also belongs to the Rajasthan cadre of the 1979 batch.     

Takru, a 1979 batch IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre, took charge at department of financial services (DFS) on the retirement of D K Mittal. Before becoming secretary, Takru was additional secretary and financial advisor in the ministry of health and family welfare.

Sandhu, a 1980 batch IAS officer, comes to DFS at a time when the banks are seeing huge bad loans and the Reserve Bank is in the process of issuing new bank licences. At present, he is principal secretary in his state and had his last stint with the Centre during 2003-2008 as joint secretary in the chemicals and fertilisers ministry.  

Bose, a 1976 batch IAS officer from the Madhya Pradesh cadre, is handling the revenue portfolio. An alumnus of Doon School, St Stephen's College in Delhi and the London School of Economics, he served in key roles such as expenditure secretary, divestment secretary, secretary in 13th Finance Commission, and principal secretary, finance, in Madhya Pradesh.