New Delhi, September 25, 2026: The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a series of appointments and upgradations involving 10 senior officers, including IAS officers from different cadres and an Indian Economic Service officer. According to the ACC order dated September 25, 2026, the appointments are as follows:
Vipin Kumar (IAS:1996:BH), Chairman, Airports Authority of India, Ministry of Civil Aviation, has been appointed as Additional Secretary, Department of Rural Development, Ministry of Rural Development.
Srikant Nagulapalli (IAS:1998:AP), Director General of Hydrocarbons, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, has been appointed as Additional Secretary, Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance.
Sarita Chauhan (IAS:1999:AGMUT), Additional Secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, has been appointed as Additional Secretary & Financial Advisor, Ministry of Steel.
Anand Singh (IAS:2000:KL) has been appointed as Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance.
P. Hemalatha (IAS:2000:KN), Development Commissioner, Cochin Special Economic Zone, Department of Commerce, has been appointed as Additional Secretary, Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, by temporarily upgrading a vacant post of Joint Secretary in the Department.
V. Ponnuraj (IAS:2000:KN), Director General of Hydrocarbons, Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, has been appointed as Director General of Hydrocarbons in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary to the Government of India, succeeding Srikant Nagulapalli following his appointment as Additional Secretary, Department of Expenditure.
Priyush Singh (IAS:2000:MH), Additional Secretary, Ministry of Power, has been appointed as Mission Director, National Water Mission, Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, in the rank and pay of Additional Secretary to the Government of India.
Mandeep K. Bhandari (IAS:2001:AGMUT), presently in the cadre and Chairman, Central Board of Secondary Education, has been appointed as Additional Secretary to the Government of India by temporarily upgrading the post.
Ankita Mishra Bundela (IAS:2001:AGMUT), Additional Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has been appointed as Additional Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, by temporarily upgrading a vacant post of Joint Secretary in the Department.
Manisha Sensarma (IES:1995), presently in the cadre and Additional Secretary, Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, has been appointed as Additional Secretary in the Ministry by temporarily upgrading a vacant post of Deputy Secretary/Director to the Additional Secretary level.
The ACC has also approved that the period from completion of foreign assignments of Anand Singh (IAS:2000:KL) and V. Ponnuraj (IAS:2000:KN) until they assume charge of their respective foreign posts will be treated as compulsory wait in the Department of Personnel and Training, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions.
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