Know Your Babu: DRS Chaudhary appointed as India's new steel secretary

THE Indian steel industry often faces the wrath of Maoist violence, and whether it’s a coincidence or a planned intervention, the bureaucrat who knows the Naxal issue the best will now anchor the steel ministry. DRS Chaudhary, a 1977 batch MP cadre IAS with a successful three years stint in the ministry of home affairs, has been appointed as secretary, steel. And the appointment was announced on the day when National Green Tribunal suspended the environment clearance granted to $12 billion Posco project in Orissa...
Chaudhary will retire on August 31, 2013.

For the last couple of months the government was undecided who they wanted as steel secretary. And DoPT secretary PK Misra was handling the ministry on an adhoc basis.

DRS Chaudhary hogged the limelight in July 2010 when he was made the official spokesperson of the MHA in the backdrop of then home secretary GK Pillai’s ISI remark which created a storm in the midst of India Pakistan foreign ministers’ level talks in Islamabad. He handled the sensitive post of Naxal management in MHA.

Chaudhary, an MA in political science was a deputy secretary in the ministry of steel between 1986 and 1990. Later, he moved to the ministry of finance and became director in the banking division and then joint secretary in department of economic affairs. Till now, he was secretary, ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises.

Action and Appointments

a) Ms Sindhushree Khullar, a 1975 batch UT cadre IAS officer and presently secretary in department of sports, has been appointed as secretary, Planning Commission in place of Ms Sudha Pillai, a 1972 batch Kerala cadre IAS. Ms Khullar is wife of commerce secretary Rahul Khullar.

b) Om Prakash Rawat, a 1977 batch MP cadre IAS, presently in the cadre, has been appointed as secretary, department of public enterprises under ministry of heavy industries and public enterprises.

c) Amarjit Singh Lamba, a 1977 batch West Bengal cadre IAS, presently special secretary in the department of agriculture and cooperation has been appointed as secretary in the ministry of DONER place of Ms Jayati Chandra, a 1975 batch UP cadre IAS who has retired.