New Delhi: In a sweeping bureaucratic reshuffle, the Centre on Tuesday reconfigured the top administrative structure, appointing senior IAS officers across crucial ministries, with Vir Vikram Yadav taking over as Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Chanchal Kumar named Secretary in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The wide-ranging exercise, cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, is being viewed as a calibrated reset aimed at strengthening governance delivery across sectors, spanning aviation, media, finance, rural development and tourism.
At the centre of the reshuffle is the appointment of Yadav, a 1996-batch IAS officer of the Odisha cadre, who replaces Faiz Ahmed Kidwai as the aviation regulator’s chief. His move comes at a time when India’s civil aviation sector continues to navigate heightened regulatory scrutiny and operational pressures, placing the spotlight firmly on the DGCA’s role in ensuring safety and compliance.
Kidwai, who helmed the regulator during a crucial phase, has been moved to the Department of Personnel and Training as Additional Secretary.
In another key development, Chanchal Kumar, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Bihar cadre, has been appointed I&B Secretary, replacing Sanjay Jaju, who has been shifted to head the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region. The change is seen as significant given the government’s focus on strategic communication and outreach in the run-up to major policy milestones.
Among other prominent appointments, Sanjay Lohiya has been named Special Secretary in the Department of Financial Services and is in line to take over as Secretary upon the incumbent’s retirement, while Rohit Kansal has been appointed Secretary in the Department of Rural Development, indicating a renewed push on rural schemes and implementation.
In the tourism sector, Bhuvnesh Kumar takes charge as Secretary, Tourism, even as Srivatsa Krishna moves to the Ministry of Minority Affairs.
The reshuffle also sees Nivedita Shukla Verma appointed as Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, with additional charge of the Department of Pensions and Pensioners’ Welfare.
Tejveer Singh has been given charge of the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals.
Further, Narendra Bhooshan has been appointed Secretary, Department of Land Resources, while Abhishek Singh takes over as Director General of the National Testing Agency at secretary rank.
The exercise, which includes appointments of over a dozen secretaries and several additional secretaries, signals a broader administrative churn as the government seeks to align leadership with evolving policy priorities and accelerate delivery across sectors.
BI Bureau
