Commerce ministry’s Amitabh Jain to head for Indian High Commission in London

Amitabh Jain, a 1989 batch Chhattisgarh cadre IAS, has been appointed as Minister (Economics) in the High Commission of India, London. Jain replaces his batch-mate from West Bengal cadre Anil Verma who had to return to India halfway after he allegedly assaulted his wife. The entire episode got huge British media attention. Verma, who had worked closely with finance minister Pranab Mukherjee was the third most senior Indian officer in London High Commission then.

Now, the appointments committee of cabinet has approved the appointment of Amitabh Jain, presently working as Additional Director General of Foreign Trade at the level of a joint secretary in the department of commerce. Jain will have a tenure of three years, from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders, whichever event takes place earlier, with the condition that the appointment of the officer at the first instance will be restricted up to August 27, 2013 and appointment for the remaining period out of three years, will be notified only after the receipt of cadre clearance of the state government of Chhattisgarh.

A mechanical engineer with specialization in systems analysis, Jain was in the cadre till he joined DGFT in 2006.

Action and Appintments

a) Rajiv Gupta, a 1979 batch UK cadre IAS, presently in the cadre, has been appointed as Managing Director, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED), New Delhi at the level of a joint secretary.

b) Chandra Prakash, a 1982 batch UP cadre IAS, has been appointed as joint secretary in the ministry of labour and employment in place of SK Dev Barman, a 1987 batch Manipur-Tripura cadre IAS on his appointment as Advisor in UNDP.

c) A number of senior finance ministry officials including DEA secretary RGopalan and chief economic adviser Dr Kaushik Basu are accompanying Union finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on a three day visit to USA beginning June 27, 2011. FM will deliver a keynote address at the conference on “US-India Economic and Financial Partnership”.