The central government on Monday (23.10.2023) granted approval for the voluntary retirement of VK Pandian (IAS:2000:OD), an Odisha cadre IAS officer who currently holds the position of Private Secretary to Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. The Department of Personnel and Training has transmitted an official communication to the additional chief secretary of Odisha’s general administration department regarding this decision.
“In reference to letter No.GAD-SER1-PERS-0100-2014 dated 20.10.2023 from Government of Odisha on the above mentioned subject, I am directed to convey the approval of the competent authority for acceptance of voluntary retirement of Shri V Kartikeya Pandian, IAS(OD-2000) under Rule 16(2A) of All India Services (Death-cum-Retirement benefits) Rules, 1958 with waiver of the notice period as recommended by the State Government,” reads the Centre’s letter.
Pandian, who has been serving in his current capacity since 2011 and wields significant influence within the political landscape of Odisha, recently gained public attention due to his extensive travels to various districts within the state utilizing a government helicopter. Both the opposition parties, the BJP and Congress, have criticized Pandian, a native of Tamil Nadu, for alleged violations of service conditions.
REC Limited has achieved a significant milestone by securing a coveted position in the esteemed Morgan Stanley Capital International (MSCI) Global Standard Index, effective from September 1, 2023,
A recent report by Nuvama Alternative & Quantitative Research underlined REC’s strong potential as a contender for the November 2023 review. Projections from Nuvama Alternative & Quantitative Research suggest that REC could witness inflows of approximately $184 Million.
The inclusion of REC in the MSCI index solidifies its standing as a key player in the financial sector and the broader market. This achievement not only expands REC’s global reach but also highlights its remarkable influence and reputation on an international scale.
It is noteworthy that the value of REC’s stock has more than doubled over the past year, surging from Rs 100.20 on August 10, 2022, to Rs 216.65 on August 10, 2023.
The MSCI Global Standard Index, crafted by MSCI Inc., comprises a series of international equity indexes widely employed by investors, fund managers, and financial experts to gauge the performance of global equity markets.
The MSCI Global Standard Index is a comprehensive collection of international equity indexes developed by MSCI Inc. These indexes serve as a prominent benchmark utilized by investors, fund managers, and financial experts for assessing and gauging the performance of global equity markets.
The Union government on Sunday notified the appointment of new Chief Justices in six High Courts. The Ministry of Law and Justice notified the appointment of six high courts namely Delhi, Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Gauhati.
Following judges have been appointed as Chief Justices of 6 different high courts:
Justice Satish Chandra Sharma, Chief Justice of Telangana High Court, has been transferred to Delhi High Court as Chief Justice.
Justice Ujjal Bhuyan of the Telangana High Court has been elevated as the Chief Justice of Telangana High Court.
Justice Amjad Ahtesham Sayed of Bombay High Court has been appointed as Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh High Court.
Justice Vipin Sanghi, Acting Chief Justice of Delhi High Court has been appointed as Chief Justice of Uttarakhand High Court.
Justice Shinde Sambhaji Shiwaji of Bombay High Court has been appointed as Chief Justice of Rajasthan High Court.
Justice Rashmin Manharbhai Chhaya of Gujarat High Court has been appointed as Chief Justice of Gauhati High Court.
In order to improve coordination and close structural gaps in the child protection ecosystem, Assam Police organised a state-level multi-stakeholder dialogue on August 2 as part of its flagship Sishu Mitra programme. Strengthening institutional response systems and reinforcing the need for shared responsibility among all stakeholders in order to provide child protection, rehabilitation, and justice as required by law were the initiative’s goals. The Assam Police Sishu Mitra Programme, which was started in 2019, is a ground-breaking project that collaborates with UNICEF and the UTSAH Child Rights Organisation to create a child-friendly policing system in Assam.
Just a few days back- on July 26, UTSAH- a leading child rights organisation in Assam had launched a dedicated POCSO Centre aimed at providing psychosocial and legal support to children who are victims of sexual offences. The centre was inaugurated on by Partha Sarathi Mahanta, Commissioner of Police, Guwahati.
The Chief Guest, Judge Kaushik Goswami of the Guwahati High Court, praised the initiative, saying it is an important step in addressing issues related to convergence and synergy to guarantee that children who encounter the child protection system have unhindered access to justice and rehabilitation. He further emphasised that everyone involved has a constitutional obligation to protect children; it is not a freebie.
The programme is in line with the Assam Chief Minister’s vision for children, according to Harmeet Singh, IPS, Director General of Police, Assam. He also stated that the goal was to establish a forum where all parties involved could have frank discussions in order to jointly address issues that prevent children who encounter the legal system from receiving services and guarantee justice for all children.
The need for child-sensitive infrastructure and services in all police stations, courts, and service-providing agencies was emphasised by Ajay Tewari, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Home & Political Department, Government of Assam, while discussing the duties of various departments in guaranteeing a child-friendly justice system. Senior government officials also gave technical presentations at the event, including Sanjukta Parashar, IPS, IGP (CID), Makhan Phukan (Director, Prosecution), Laxminarayan Nanda (Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF Assam), John B. Ekka, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary (Labour Welfare), Mukesh Ch. Sahu, IAS, Principal Secretary (Women & Child Development), and Dr. P. Ashok Babu, IAS, Commissioner and Secretary (Health & Family Welfare).
In his summary of the departmental input, Surendra Kumar, IPS, Additional DGP, and Convenor of the Assam Police Sishu Mitra programme, underlined Assam Police’s dedication to promoting long-lasting, practical transformation on the ground. Assam State Commission for Protection of Child Rights, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan Mission, State Legal Services Authority, Judicial Officers, Special Judges of POCSO Courts, Assam Police, Welfare of SC & BC and Social Justice & Empowerment Directorate, Special Public Prosecutors, Social Justice & Empowerment, DLSA, CWC and JJB officials, Childline and One Stop Center staff, and other important stakeholders from throughout the state participated in the dialogue.
The state-level multi-stakeholder conversation would be formalised as a regular platform to foster collaboration and convergence for a better child-friendly and rights-based protection system in the state, the Assam police officially stated.
The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on Friday (August 1, 2025) promoted five senior IRS officers to the grade of Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (CCIT) in Level 16 of the pay matrix for the panel year 2025.
According to Office Order issued by the Ministry of Finance, the following officers have been elevated on an in-situ basis with immediate effect or from the date they assume charge of their new posts:
They are;
Pankaj Kumar
Vandana Verma
Vivek Kumar
Rakesh Gupta
Yagyasaini Kakkar
As per the order, the officers shall continue to hold their current posts until their formal postings are notified.
Sagarika Nath (IPS:2016:OD) has been appointed as Superintendent of Police (SP) in the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (July 31, 2025), the competent authority has approved her appointment against an existing vacancy under the usual terms and conditions of central deputation.
The central government has directed the Odisha government to relieve Sagarika Nath immediately so that she can take charge of her new assignment in the country’s premier counter-terror investigation agency.
Currently, Sagarika Nath is serving as SP of Khordha district in Odisha.
Raghvendra Kumar MG (IPS:2010:AM) has been appointed as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (July 31, 2025), the competent authority approved his appointment against an existing vacancy, under the usual terms and conditions of central deputation.
The central government has directed the state government to relieve Raghvendra Kumar MG immediately to enable him to take charge of his new assignment. He is currently serving as DIGP, CID, Meghalaya,
Ajay Kumar Jaiswal (IRSME:2008) has been appointed as Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO) of Northern Coalfields Limited (NCL), Singrauli, for a three years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (July 31, 2025), the competent authority has approved the appointment of Mr Jaiswal to the post for an initial period of three years from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has invited applications for the post of Director (Commercial), Power Finance Corporation (PFC) Limited, a Maharatna CPSE under the Ministry of Power. The notification was released on Friday (August 1, 2025), with August 28, 2025, set as the last date to apply. Eligible candidates from both the public and private sectors can submit their applications via the PESB portal before the deadline.
The post will fall vacant upon the retirement of incumbent Director (Commercial) Manoj Sharma on March 31, 2026. Sharma has been holding the position since August 26, 2022, after being selected by the PESB from a panel of eight candidates and subsequently approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC).
PFC Limited, incorporated in 1986, is a non-banking financial company (NBFC) that plays a vital role in financing India’s power sector projects and related infrastructure. It is pivotal in supporting the country’s energy development and electrification initiatives.
Senior IAS officer Manoj Govil (IAS:1991:MP), currently serving as Secretary (Coordination), Cabinet Secretariat, has been assigned the additional charge of Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat.
According to an order Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) order issued on Thursday (July 31, 2025), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the arrangement following the retirement of Harinath Mishra (IPS:1990:KL). Govil will hold the additional responsibility until a regular appointment is made or until further orders, whichever comes earlier.
Senior IAS officer Shashi Prakash Goyal (IAS:1989:UP) has been appointed as the new Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, following the retirement of incumbent Manoj Kumar Singh (IAS:1988:UP) on Thursday.
The Central government declined the state government’s request to extend Manoj Kumar Singh’s tenure beyond July 31, despite a formal letter sent by the Yogi Adityanath-led government on July 3, 2025, seeking his extension.
Shashi Prakash Goyal has been a key figure in the UP Secretariat for over eight years and currently serves as Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister. His elevation as Chief Secretary is seen as a natural progression, given his long experience and close involvement in state administration.
In a recent administrative posting, Sindhu B Rupesh (IAS:2011:KN) has been appointed as Director in the Department of Space (DoS), Bengaluru, under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS).
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) on Thursday (July 31, 2025), the competent authority approved her appointment for a tenure of five years from the date of assuming charge or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Alok Ranjan Ghosh (IAS:2011:BH) has been appointed as Director in the Department of Personnel & Training (DoPT) under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS).
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel & Training on Thursday (July 31, 2025), Ghosh, who was presently on compulsory wait in DoPT, will assume charge as Director with immediate effect. His tenure will continue till February 2, 2030, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
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