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Thick smoke was seen billowing from the Union secretariat's North Block here on Monday, prompting authorities to rush six fire tenders to the spot, an official said. A police officer said some repair work was underway at the building, which might have led to a minor fire. No casualty has been reported so far. Delhi Fire Services received a call at 11.10 am reporting smoke emanating from the building, following which six fire tenders were dispatched, the official said.
The Cabinet Secretariat refrained from taking any action on complaints sent by two Election Commissioners against the conduct of an officer in the Commission, noting that the communications were in their "individual capacity" and in the absence of "any official communication from the Commission as a whole, any action at this stage may be inappropriate", records made public in an RTI reply show. Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had sent two separate communications on July 29 to the top bureaucrat of the country TV Somanathan, on the working of Senior Deputy Election Commissioner (Sr. DEC) Maneesh Garg, IAS, who was posted in the Commission by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet since September 2, 2024, the letters provided in the RTI reply to activist Commodore Lokesh K Batra (retd) show. The Indian Express had reported in September that Sandhu and Joshi wrote separately to Cabinet Secretary TV Somanathan after issuance of a work allocation order withi
Manipur Police chief Rajiv Singh was on Thursday appointed as Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat, according to a Personnel Ministry order. The Secretary (Security) is the administrative head of the Special Protection Group (SPG) that provides security to the prime minister and members of his immediate family residing with him at his official residence. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved Singh's appointment to the post of Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat, the order said. Singh, a 1993-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Tripura cadre, has been working as the Director General of Police (DGP), Manipur since June 1, 2023. He took over as the head of the police force of the strife-torn state after the ethnic violence started on May 3, 2023. The violence, which started after a 'Tribal Solidarity March' was organised in the hill districts to protest the Meitei community's demand for Scheduled Tribes status, has left at least 260 pe
The Cabinet Secretariat has asked secretaries of all ministries and departments to submit brief notes outlining major reforms proposed to be undertaken by their respective offices, according to sources. Ministries and departments have to submit those notes by March 17 to the secretariat, they added. "All the secretaries have been requested to submit notes on major reforms implemented and proposed to be undertaken," they said. The government has undertaken a series of measures to boost the country's economic growth and promote ease of living for citizens. Asserting that the government's "Reform Express" is benefiting common citizens in a big way, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in an interview to PTI last month, said that his top three reform priorities for the next decade will be continued structural reforms, deepening innovation and further simplification of governance. He has said reforms have helped the common citizen, the menace of middlemen has reduced, and infrastructure expan
The Union Budget 2026-27 has allocated Rs 1,102 crore for expenses incurred by the Council of Ministers, the Cabinet Secretariat, the Prime Minister's Office, and for hospitality and entertainment of state guests. The amount is higher than the revised estimate of Rs 978.20 allocated in 2025-2026. In the Budget presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Lok Sabha on Sunday, Rs 620 crore has been allotted for the expenses of council of ministers in the coming fiscal. It was Rs 483.54 crore in 2025-25. The provision is for expenditure on salaries, sumptuary and other allowances and travel by cabinet ministers, ministers of state and ex-prime ministers. This also includes provision for Special Extra Session Flight Operations for VVIPs. The National Security Council Secretariat has been allocated Rs 256.19 crore for 2026-27, against Rs 279.74 crore for 2025-26. The provision is for meeting the administrative expenses and space programme of the National Security Council
Senior IPS officer R A Chandra Sekhar has been appointed as Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat, according to a personnel ministry order. Sekhar, a 1991-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer of Kerala cadre, is currently serving as special director in the Intelligence Bureau. The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Sekhar's appointment as Secretary (Security) in the Cabinet Secretariat, with effect from the date of assumption of charge of the post on or after August 1, 2025, the order dated June 14 said. Sekhar will take over the new role after the superannuation of incumbent Harinath Mishra end of next month, officials said. The Secretary (Security) is the administrative head of the Special Protection Group (SPG) that provides security to the prime minister and members of his immediate family residing with him at his official residence. In an another order, Special Director General of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Sunil Kumar Jha, has b