Key PMO hand Dheeraj Gupta to remain at South Block till June 2014

ONE of the key officials of Prime Minister’s Office Dheeraj Gupta who looks after PMO security and administration among others has been given a 15-month extension in one go. A 1993 batch Jammu and Kashmir cadre IAS, Gupta had earlier served as private secretary to defence minister AK Antony. He will now be in South Block till June 30, 2014 “in relaxation of the...
ceiling on tenure applicable under the Central Staffing Scheme”, according to an order dated March 21, 2013. 
Gupta, originally belonging to Haryana, came on a Central deputation in March 2006 but moved to the defence ministry in the same year. He joined the PMO in November 2011, a month after Pulok Chatterji returned from Washington DC and joined as principal secretary to PM. Chatterji overhauled the PMO and carefully picked up the men who could steer the South Block till the end of UPA-II.
Gupta’s extension was on the card as he handles a number of important affairs in the PMO. So far as PMO security is concerned, Gupta is assisted by OSD KL Dhingra, and in administration, he is assisted by director Rajeev Topno. Gupta himself assists secretary to PM R Ramanujam on a number of matters that include cabinet secretariat and ACC, thrust areas of government, computerisation of PMO, personnel, public grievances and pensions, anti-corruption unit, law and justice, NAC and delivery monitoring unit.

Action and Appointments
a) The ACC has approved the proposal of the ministry of new and renewable energy for extension of deputation tenure of Rohit Kansal, a 1995 J&K batch IAS and private secretary to minister for new and renewable energy Dr Farooq Abdullah at director level for a period of six months beyond April 12, 2013 and upto October 12, 2013.
b) M Bakthavathsalu, a retired central government officer, has been appointed as additional private secretary at under secretary level in the personal staff of minister for minority affairs K Rahman Khan on co-terminus basis with the minister or until further orders, whichever is earlier, with effect from November 1, 2012 “in relaxation of the prescribed age limit and upper limit of ten years of working in the personal establishment of the Union ministers”, according to an Office Memorandum dated March 20, 2013.