Sarma Named Power Secretary

The government yesterday announced the appointment of four secretaries including three to the restructured departments dealing with food and civil supplies. Three other senior-level appointments were also announced.

E A S Sarma, adviser (energy) in the Planning Commission, will be the new secretary to the ministry of power. An official spokesman said that consequent upon the reallocation of work in the erstwhile ministries of food and civil supplies, consumer affairs, and public distribution system, three secretaries have been appointed to look after the restructured departments.

N N Mukherjee, a 1964-batch IAS officer who was in the ministry of civil supplies, will be secretary, department of consumer affairs. B K Taimni, who was special secretary in the ministry of agriculture, will be the secretary to the department of food and civil supplies. J A Chowdhury, establishment officer in the personnel ministry, will be the secretary to the department of sugar and edible oils.

 

Ashok Pahwa has been appointed chief commissioner for persons with disabilities under the ministry of welfare in the rank and pay of secretary. N Ramji will be the new director general, council for applications of peoples action in rural technology in the rank and pay of additional secretary.

However, the appointment of Ramji, who succeeds Pahwa, will be subject to the outcome of the writ petition filed by V S Jafa, a 1965-batch IAS officer of the Assam and Manipur cadre, before the principal bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal.