IAS officer Prashant Kumar Mishra (IAS:2014:KN) has been appointed as Private Secretary to the Union Minister for Jal Shakti, CR Patil. His appointment has been made in the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (April 22, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved Mishra’s appointment to the post at the level of Deputy Secretary.
Prashant will serve in the position for a period upto March 15, 2031 (i.e. total tenure of 5 years as PS/OSD) from the date of assuming charge of the post. However, the tenure will be on a co-terminus basis with the minister or until he ceases to function as OSD to the minister, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
To enable him join this assignment, his current assignment as OSD to same minister in the same department has been curtailed. Notably, he assumed charge of OSD post on March 15, 2026.
Renowned economist Ashok Lahiri and scientist Gobardhan Das, both from West Bengal, have been named Vice-Chairman and Member of NITI Aayog, respectively, according to government sources.
Lahiri, who is currently a BJP MLA in West Bengal, is a former Chief Economic Adviser to the Government of India and has also served as a member of the 15th Finance Commission. He is not contesting the ongoing Assembly elections in the state. He will replace Suman Bery, who assumed the role in May 2022.
Lahiri was appointed Chief Economic Adviser in December 2002 by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was Prime Minister. He continued in the role until June 2007, serving a significant part of his tenure under the Congress-led UPA government headed by Manmohan Singh.
Das is currently serving as Director of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Bhopal. Before this, he was a professor and Chair at the Special Centre for Molecular Medicine at Jawaharlal Nehru University.
After a long legal see-saw and reprimands from the Supreme Court, Telangana is finally set to have a regular DGP, with senior IPS officer CV Anand (IPS:1991:TG) almost certain to be appointed to the post.
The stage for the next DGP was set with the incumbent DGP, Shivadhar Reddy (IPS:1994:TG), reaching superannuation on April 30. Official sources point out that Anand is slated to assume his new responsibilities in the first week of May.
Anand is known as an upright police officer, currently serving as the Special Chief Secretary of the state Home Department. Before it he was DG of the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and has also served as Hyderabad Police Commissioner.
Recent administrative shifts also signaled Anand’s choice for the top slot of the state police force. It became crystal clear after the state government issued orders appointing Shikha Goel (IPS:1994:TG) to succeed Anand in the Home Department role, effectively clearing the decks for his elevation to the state’s highest policing office. Goel is currently posted as Principal Secretary in the Home Department.
The process for appointing a regular DGP for Telangana began after the Supreme Court rapped the state govt for continuing to have an acting DGP and gave four weeks to the UPSC to complete the process of empanelment of officers for the appointment of Telangana DGP on February 5. Following it, the state govt submitted the list of six top-ranking IPS officers to the UPSC for shortlisting three names.
Consequently, the UPSC’s Empanelment Committee meeting was held in Delhi on March 11 for the purpose. The Empanelment Committee comprised the UPSC Chairperson, the Union Home Secretary, the State Chief Secretary, and a nominee from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The Committee shortlisted three names based on a review of their service records, seniority, and length of remaining service tenure.
After shortlisting three officers eligible for the post, the UPSC forwarded the panel to the state govt to choose one of them as the next DGP.
The three officers shortlisted by the UPSC are CV Anand (IPS:1991:TG), Vinayak Prabhakar Apte (IPS:1994:TG), and Soumya Mishra (IPS:1994:TG). While Anand is currently serving as Special Chief Secretary (Home), Apte is posted as Special Director in the Intelligence Bureau (IB), and Mishra is serving as Director General of Prisons.
After that, the ball was in the state govt’s court to pick one of them as the next DGP, and it seems to have decided on the senior-most officer—CV Anand—for the post of the state police chief.
The Telangana government on Friday (April 24, 2026) issued orders of transfers and postings of several senior police officers, which comes into effect from May 1, 2026. The most notable appointment is that of Shikha Goel as Principal Secretary, Home Department.
The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;
Shikha Goel (IPS:1994:TG), Director General (Vigilance & Enforcement) & Ex-Officio Principal Secretary, General Administration Department, has been transferred and posted as Principal Secretary to Government, Home Department. She will also hold full additional charge of Director, Telangana Cyber Security Bureau and Director, Telangana Forensic Science Laboratory.
Devendra Singh Chauhan (IPS:1997:TG), Additional Director General of Police (Personnel), has been transferred and posted as Director General (Vigilance & Enforcement) & Ex-Officio Principal Secretary, General Administration Department.
Shahnawaz Qasim (IPS:2003:TG), Director General, Drugs Control Administration, has been transferred and posted as IGP, Multi Zone-II, Telangana, Hyderabad. He will also hold full additional charge of Inspector General of Police (Personnel), Telangana.
Tarun Joshi (IPS:2004:TG), Director, Anti-Corruption Bureau, has been transferred and posted as Commissioner of Police, Future City.
Avinash Mohanty (IPS:2005:TG), Commissioner of Police, Malakajgiri, has been transferred and posted as Director General, Drugs Control Administration and Director, Prohibition & Excise. He will also hold full additional charge of Director, ACB, Telangana.
B Samthi (IPS:2006:TG), IGP, SIB Intelligence, has been transferred and posted as Commissioner of Police, Malakajgiri.
Kartikeya (IPS:2006:TG), Inspector General of Police, Intelligence, has been placed in full additional charge of IGP, SIB Intelligence, Telangana.
The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has invited applications for the post of Director (Projects) at Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (POWERGRID).
The vacancy notification was issued on April 23, 2026, and the last date for submission of applications through the PESB portal is May 13, 2026.
The post fell vacant on April 1, 2026, after Burra Vamsi Rama Mohan assumed charge as Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of POWERGRID following the retirement of Ravindra Kumar Tyagi on March 31, 2026.
Notably, PESB had recommended Vamsi Rama Mohan’s name for the CMD post to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) on December 14 after interviewing nine candidates.
The Union government on Friday (April 24, 2026) notified the appointment of Preeta Aravindan Krishnamma, Advocate, as an Additional Judge of the Kerala High Court.
Earlier, the Supreme Court Collegium had, on April 14, 2026, recommended her name along with another advocate for appointment as judges of the Kerala High Court. However, the name of the second advocate is yet to be notified by the Centre.
The Union government on Friday (April 24, 2026) notified the appointment of Additional Judge Justice Manjusha Ajay Deshpande as a Permanent Judge of the Bombay High Court, with effect from the date she assumes charge of her office.
Notably, the Supreme Court of India had, on April 14, recommended her name for appointment as a Permanent Judge of the Bombay High Court.
Justice Deshpande was appointed as an Additional Judge of the Bombay High Court on August 11, 2023. The Central government had earlier notified her elevation from the Bar (Aurangabad Bench) on August 10, 2023, for a two-year term. Subsequently, she was granted a fresh one-year term as Additional Judge from August 12, 2025.
The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has invited applications for the post of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) at the National Textile Corporation Limited. The vacancy notification was issued on April 22, 2026, and the last date for submission of applications through the PESB portal is May 12, 2026.
The post has been lying vacant since the date of issuance of the advertisement. At present, Padmini Singla (IAS:2000:AGMUT), Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Textiles, is holding the additional charge of the CMD post.
She continues to manage the responsibilities of the position until a regular appointment is made.
The Union government on Friday (April 24, 2026) notified the appointment of four Additional Judges of the Telangana High Court as Permanent Judges of that High Court.
IPS officer Ravi Shankar Chhabi (IPS:2007:UP), serving as Deputy Inspector General (DIG) in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), has been repatriated to his parent cadre in Uttar Pradesh.
According to an order issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Wednesday, he has been relieved from the CRPF and directed to report back to his cadre.
Chhabi had joined the CRPF as DIG on February 6, 2026, and was recently deployed as an observer during the West Bengal elections.
While official reasons for his repatriation have not been disclosed, it is being speculated that the move may be linked to a report submitted by the Election Commission of India.
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