The Jharkhand government on Tuesday (September 30, 2025) appointed senior IAS officer Avinash Kumar (IAS:1993:JH) as the new Chief Secretary of the state. He takes over from Alka Tiwari (IAS:1988:JH), who retired from service today.
In addition to his new role, Kumar will continue to hold the charges of Additional Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister and Chief Resident Commissioner, Jharkhand Bhawan, New Delhi.
Before this elevation, he was serving as Additional Chief Secretary, Energy Department, with additional responsibilities as Development Commissioner, CMD of Jharkhand Energy Development Corporation Limited, and Chief Resident Commissioner, Jharkhand Bhawan.
The central deputation tenure of Ashish Gupta (IRSME:2014) as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Rural Development has been extended. An order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (September 29, 2025) stated that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the proposal of the Department of Rural Development to extend his tenure by two years beyond December 30, 2025, up to December 30, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The deputation tenure of Mrithinjai Srikanthan (IRS-C&IT:2013) as Deputy Secretary in the Department of Expenditure has been curtailed. An order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (September 29, 2025) said that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the proposal for curtailment of his tenure under the central staffing scheme.
Mrithinjai Srikanthan was appointed to the post on February 18, 2025, for a four-year term, but his tenure has ended prematurely.
The central deputation tenure of Naval Kishor (IOFS:2003) as Director in the Department of Revenue has been extended. An order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (September 29, 2025) stated that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the extension for one year beyond October 28, 2025, up to October 28, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Naval Kishor was initially appointed as Director in the Department of Revenue on September 28, 2018, and assumed charge in October 2018 for a five-year tenure. Before the completion of this term, his tenure was extended by two years in May 2023, up to October 28, 2025. Now his tenure further extended for one year.
The central deputation tenure of MBeena (IAS:1999:KL) as Development Commissioner (Handlooms) in the Ministry of Textiles has been extended. An order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (September 29, 2025) stated that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the extension for one year beyond October 3, 2025, up to October 3, 2026, or until further orders, continuing the temporary upgradation of the post.
Beena M was appointed as Development Commissioner (Handlooms) on September 15, 2023, for a combined tenure of seven years ending October 3, 2025. Prior to this, she served as Chairperson of Cochin Port Authority for five years.
Sachindra Kumar Patnaik (IRSS:1997), currently Executive Director (North Zone) (JS level) at Food Corporation of India (FCI), Noida, has been prematurely repatriated to his parent cadre. An order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (September 29, 2025) stated that the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the Department of Food and Public Distribution’s proposal to repatriate him on administrative grounds, along with the imposition of an extended cooling-off condition.
Patnaik had been appointed to the post in January 2023 for a five-year term, which was set to conclude in 2028. However, he is being repatriated before completing his tenure.
The central deputation tenure of Juhi Mukherjee (IAS:2007:AGMUT) as Joint Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA) has been extended for two more years. According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (September 29, 2025), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved DEA’s proposal to extend her tenure beyond October 13, 2025, or until further orders, whichever comes first.
Ms. Mukherjee has been serving as Joint Secretary in DEA since July 18, 2023. She was initially appointed as Deputy Secretary in the department for five years in September 2020 before her elevation.
The central government has extended the tenure of senior IRPS officer Chetan Prakash Jain (IRPS:1995) as Joint Secretary and Financial Advisor (JS&FA) in the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) under the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (September 29, 2025), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the extension of his central deputation till December 16, 2026, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Jain was first appointed as JS&FA in CSIR in September 2020 for a five-year term. Before the end of that tenure, the government has now granted him an extension, allowing him to continue in the role for another year.
The central deputation tenure of Saurabh Kumar Tiwari (IP&TA&FS:1993), Additional Secretary in the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) Mission, Cabinet Secretariat, has been extended until his superannuation.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (September 29, 2025), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved the extension of his tenure beyond December 10, 2025, up to September 20, 2027, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Tiwari was first appointed Joint Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat in November 2018 for a five-year tenure. On completion, he received a two-year extension until December 10, 2025. Following his empanelment as Additional Secretary in January 2025, he was appointed Additional Secretary, DBT Mission, on April 18, 2025. With the latest order, his deputation will continue until his retirement in September 2027.
IAS officer Anil Kumar Singhal’s (IAS:1993:AP) central deputation posting, which had created confusion due to his simultaneous cadre posting in Andhra Pradesh, has now been resolved.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (September 29, 2025), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has cancelled his appointment as Chief Executive Officer of the National Rainfed Area Authority (NRAA). The charge of CEO, NRAA, has instead been given to Pramod Kumar Mehedra (IAS:1997:OD), Additional Secretary in the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DoAFW), for six months with effect from July 15, 2025, on an ex-post facto basis.
It may be recalled that Singhal was repatriated to his parent cadre on July 2, 2025, while serving as Additional Secretary in the Department of School Education & Literacy. However, on August 25, he was again placed on central deputation as CEO, NRAA, under the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government, after his repatriation, posted him as Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) on September 8, 2025. With the DoPT cancelling his NRAA appointment, the confusion over his posting has now been settled.
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