In a significant development, Shilpa Sachin Shinde (IAS:2006:AGMUT) has been appointed as the new Chairperson and Managing Director (CMD) of WAPCOS Limited (Water and Power Consultancy Services) for a period of five years. Her appointment comes just days after Rajni Kant Agrawal was removed from the post.
This marks the first-ever direct appointment of a WAPCOS CMD by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC). Until now, the CMD was selected by the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) and subsequently approved by the ACC. However, the Ministry of Jal Shakti is understood to have moved a proposal for direct ACC appointment in this case.
On September 3, 2025, Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil invoked his special powers to divest Agrawal of charge. Pankaj Kapoor, Director (Finance), was given additional charge of CMD. Agrawal, who was appointed CMD on October 1, 2021 for a five-year tenure, was due to retire in October 2026. Kapoor, the senior-most director in WAPCOS, will superannuate on September 28, 2025.
According to sources, Agrawal’s removal followed complaints of alleged irregularities in WAPCOS, including non-payment of perks and allowances to employees, delays in executing key government projects, delayed vendor payments, and erratic GST payments that reportedly attracted penalties. Payments to suppliers were described as “random and without a system in place.”
With Shilpa Shinde’s appointment, the government seeks to restore stability and efficiency at WAPCOS, a central PSU under the Ministry of Jal Shakti that plays a crucial role in consultancy and infrastructure services in water resources, power, and allied sectors.
Also Read: WAPCOS CMD Rajni Kant Agrawal removed amid alleged irregularities
Join Us on WhatsApp