Busy Monday: 4 GoI secretaries and CBDT chairman assume office

Surajit Mitra (M) with ministers Khurshid and Vincent Pala

MONDAY, August 1, turned out to be one of the busiest days in several ministries of Delhi’s corridors of power. Yes, it was the first day of what could be seen as a troubled Parliament session ahead, but the hurly-burly in ministries had a different root. A number of secretaries including foreign secretary Ranjan Mathai, minority affairs secretary Surajit Mitra, corporate affairs secretary Naved Masood and new CBDT chairman MC Joshi assumed charges on Monday.

On day 1, 1977 batch Assam-Meghalaya cadre IAS Dr Surajit Mitra called on the minister of minority affairs Salman Khurshid and minister of state Vincent H Pala who welcomed him into the ministry. Khurshid said that Mitra has entered the ministry at a crucial time of finalizing the 12th Five-Year Plan. Mitra was serving as additional chief secretary to the government of Assam. A doctorate in economics, he has a long experience of working in different ministries including those of rural development; tourism and culture, defence; home, commerce and industry and heavy industries and public enterprises.

DK Mittal, a 1977 batch UP cadre IAS and presently secretary in the ministry of corporate affairs has been appointed as secretary in the department of financial services. Naved Masood, also a 1977 batch UP cadre IAS, has taken over as new secretary in the ministry of corporate affairs.

Meanwhile, MC Joshi, a 1974 batch Indian Revenue Service officer on Monday took over as the chairman of Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT). An MA in economics, Joshi was earlier the chief commissioner of income tax in Uttaranchal. He also served in the Directorate of Enforcement as special director. K Madhavan Nair, a 1975 batch IRS, has also joined as Member, CBDT.

Earlier on the day, Ranjan Mathai, a 1974 batch Indian Foreign Service officer, took over as India’s new foreign secretary.

Babus’ Marriage

The government has transferred Ms Sharandeep Kaur Brar, a 2009 batch Rajasthan cadre IAS from Rajasthan to Haryana cadre on ground of marriage to Ashwin, a 2006 batch IPS officer.