Several names under consideration for coveted post
Neeraj Rohmetra
Jammu, May 26: Union Government has initiated the process to find replacement of Chief Secretary, B V R Subrahmanyam and the process is likely to be culminated within few days.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR, “Subrahmanyam, who was hand-picked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to “clean up” the Jammu and Kashmir administration, is likely to be given an important post in Union Ministry and exercise is on to find a suitable post for him”.
1987 batch IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre, who hails from Andhra Pradesh had taken over as Chief Secretary on June 23, 2018 and had steered the transition of Jammu and Kashmir from State to Union Territory and also been the key man in implementation of Centre’s agenda during its abrogation of provisions of Article 370.
“Several IAS officers, whose names are under consideration to replace the present Chief Secretary included Pradip Kumar Tripathi, Sudhanshu Panday and Arun Kumar Mehta”, sources said adding, “the first two are on Central deputation while Mehta is presently serving as Financial Commissioner (Finance)”.
Tripathi, 1987 batch IAS officer is presently serving as Secretary, Union Ministry and Sudhanshu Panday (1988 batch) is serving as Secretary, Ministry of Department of Food and Public Distribution. Sources said, “both the officials had been approached for the coveted assignment. While one of them has refused to take over as Chief Secretary, other is still weighing his options”.
Subrahmanyam and Tripathi along with 26 other IAS officers had been empanelled in the rank of Secretary in the Central Government on October 9, 2019. Similarly, Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) had also cleared the empanelment of Sudhanshu Panday and Arun Kumar Mehta on April 14, 2020 as Secretaries in the Government of India.
Subrahmanyam, who is considered as expert in internal security matters, had served in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in May 2014. He stayed in the PMO till March 2015 and then moved to his cadre State Chhattisgarh. Prior to this, he has worked as Private Secretary to former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during 2004-2008.
He had also worked with the World Bank during June 2008 and September 2011 before joining again the Manmohan Singh-led PMO in March 2012.
“Subrahmanyam had been working sincerely to create a robust institutional infrastructure which is free of corruption and had initiated several reforms during his tenure and a multi-fold strategy had been put in place to ensure transparent and accountable administration”, officials said, adding, “several administrative issues, which were pending since the past several decades had been resolved during his tenure”.
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