Madhya Pradesh cadre IPS officer Veerendra Kumar Mishra (IPS:2012:MP), who was recommended for central deputation by the Ministry of Home Affairs, has been selected for appointment as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) for a tenure of four years.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Monday (December 29, 2025), the appointment as Deputy Secretary will be effective if Mishra assumes charge of the post on or before December 31, 2025.
However, the order clarifies that if he takes charge on January 1, 2026 or thereafter, he will be appointed as Director in the Ministry of Home Affairs with effect from January 1, 2026. In such a case, his tenure will continue till December 31, 2029, the date of his superannuation, or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
It sounds ludicrous in a democratic setup to use an honorific for an elected representative, as it is the common people who occupy the most honourable position in a democracy. The matter of fact is the usage of titles is a remnant of royal and colonial rule.
This thinking seems to have guided Chittur-Thathamangalam municipality in Palakkad to decide to stop using the honorific “honourable” before the names of its Chairman and Secretary. It has happened despite the Kerala government’s refusal to remove it. Though the state govt accepted in principle that there was no law requiring honorifics to be used before elected representatives.
This is not the lone example of a municipality deciding to drop this honorific. Before it, the Mathur panchayat in Palakkad has already done away with the practice of using honorifics like ‘sir’ and ‘madam’ in its offices.
The Chittur Municipality Chairman, Sumesh Achuthan, said the decision was based on the belief that honours and titles were not necessary to use for public servants either. He puts forward the rationale behind such a decision, saying the honorific creates a divide between citizens. “We aim to ensure equality, dignity, and civil rights for every citizen of Chittur as guaranteed by the Constitution,” he explains. The decision will soon be presented in the council for ratification.
This is not all. The municipality will also not use the honorific in its documents and letters to the govt.
Sumesh happens to be the son of former Chittur MLA K Achuthan.
Sumesh feels that when respect is documented in govt notices, plaques, and official letters, it serves as a reminder of authority, creating an impression that public servants must be respected and honoured. Sumesh further says terms like ‘his majesty,’ ‘your highness,’ used as forms of address, disappeared with the end of monarchy, but the tradition continues.
There is no denying the fact that new titles were introduced for modern-day rulers, and the term ‘honourable’ found its way into official documents and inscriptions with a bit more prominence. The use of the term ‘honourable’ became fashionable to address too many people holding positions in the bureaucracy as well as the elected government.
Interestingly, the state govt, while responding to an RTI, had said the honorific was intended to respect the position and not the person and that it was part of basic courtesy in a democracy. But Mattumantha is adamant and even requested other local bodies to emulate such initiatives.
Kerala is considering to setting up a mentoring system for IAS and IFS probationers, mainly to give them some guidance and support in their first few years of service. The idea came up in a meeting of department secretaries held recently under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary.
The plan borrows the broad concept from what already exists for IPS probationers, where each trainee is linked to a senior officer. In the IPS setup, probationers get help on investigations, field situations, administrative issues and questions of ethics. Officials involved in the Kerala discussion said the state does not want a carbon copy of that model. What is being thought of is something lighter and optional, with a mix of online and occasional in-person interactions, rather than a very structured routine.
Some officials involved in the discussion said probationers often struggle during their initial postings and could benefit from an experienced hand to consult. At the same time, they pointed out that the system will only work if it is practical and does not add heavy responsibilities for senior officers.
After the meeting, the Chief Secretary asked the General Administration Department to work out a detailed plan. This would include who can be chosen as mentors, how often they should interact with probationers and what sort of reporting is needed, if any. Once the draft is ready, the government will take a final call on moving ahead.
The thinking behind the proposal is simple: new officers often need someone they can turn to in their early years, especially during difficult postings. At the same time, the system should not overload senior officers or create rigid rules that nobody can follow in practice.
REC Limited has won two prestigious awards at the 47th All India Public Relations Conference organised by the Public Relations Society of India (PRSI) recently in Dehradun.
The company received awards in the categories of Public Relations and In-house Journal, recognising its sustained efforts in strengthening stakeholder communication, promoting transparency and effectively showcasing institutional initiatives through structured and credible communication practices.
The awards were presented by former Union Cabinet Minister for Education and former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank, and Ritu Khanduri Bhushan, Speaker of the Uttarakhand Legislative Assembly, during the conference.
The awards were received by Shri Sunil Bisht, CPM, REC Limited, Dehradun Office, along with members of REC’s Corporate Communications team at the award ceremony held as part of the conference proceedings.
During the conference, REC’s Corporate Communications team also delivered a presentation on “Role of Corporate Communication in Public Sector Undertakings”, highlighting the growing strategic importance of communication in enhancing transparency, trust and institutional credibility in public sector organisations.
The recognition underscores REC’s focused approach to public relations, its consistent engagement with stakeholders and the relevance of its in-house journal in strengthening internal communication, employee engagement and alignment with the organisation’s vision and values.
The All India Public Relations Conference is PRSI’s flagship annual event and serves as a national platform for discussions on emerging trends, best practices and the evolving role of public relations and corporate communication in governance, business and society.
Energy continues to drive India’s economic growth, and coal still supplies a large share of the country’s energy needs. In a recent push to strengthen governance and improve accountability in the sector, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has asked the Ministry of Coal to draw up a roadmap for mapping and listing all subsidiaries of Coal India Limited (CIL) by 2030.
Following this, the government now plans to set up coal exchanges that will allow surplus thermal coal to be traded competitively. With domestic output expected to climb beyond 1.5 billion tonnes by 2030, officials say the new system is meant to support market-based price discovery as the sector moves toward a surplus.
The Ministry of Coal has already circulated revised draft Coal Exchange Rules and invited stakeholder comments. Through a recent gazette notification, the Coal Controller Organisation (CCO) has been named as the authority responsible for registering and regulating these exchanges.
Officials also pointed out that a series of policy reforms in recent years has boosted self-sufficiency and raised domestic availability. India’s coal production crossed the one-billion-tonne mark in 2024-25, reinforcing the need to rethink how surplus coal is sold and priced.
The legal foundation for establishing coal exchanges comes from the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Amendment Act, 2025, which gives the Centre the power to promote mineral trading through regulated platforms.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has asked the Ministry of Coal to prepare a roadmap for mapping and listing all subsidiaries of Coal India Limited (CIL) by 2030 as part of a broader push to improve governance, transparency and accountability in the coal sector, according to reports.
The move is aimed at streamlining oversight and unlocking value through asset monetisation in Coal India, which accounts for over 80 per cent of India’s domestic coal production. The exercise is being seen as part of a wider effort to strengthen corporate governance and improve financial efficiency across public sector enterprises in the energy sector.
Coal India operates through eight subsidiaries — Eastern Coalfields Limited, Bharat Coking Coal Limited, Central Coalfields Limited, Western Coalfields Limited, South Eastern Coalfields Limited, Northern Coalfields Limited, Mahanadi Coalfields Limited and Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited.
Bharat Coking Coal Limited (BCCL) and Central Mine Planning and Design Institute Limited (CMPDIL) are expected to be listed on the stock exchanges by March 2026. Preparatory work for these listings, including domestic and international investor outreach in the case of BCCL, has been completed, according to reports.
Bharat Coking Coal Limited had earlier filed its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for a proposed initial public offering. The DRHP relates to an offer for sale of up to 46.57 crore equity shares by Coal India and remains subject to regulatory approvals and market conditions. CMPDIL has also filed its DRHP with SEBI for an IPO through the offer-for-sale route.
Coal India has also informed the stock exchanges that its board of directors has approved the listing of South Eastern Coalfields Limited and Mahanadi Coalfields Limited. The decision follows directions from the Ministry of Coal to initiate concrete steps for listing these two major subsidiaries in the next financial year.
Meanwhile, Coal India Limited has set a production target of 875 million tonnes for the current financial year, reflecting the government’s continued focus on balancing structural reforms with operational expansion.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday said that policing reforms over the past seven and a half years have changed the law-and-order situation in the state. He said these changes have raised public confidence and helped make Uttar Pradesh a model of rule-based administration.
He was speaking at the inauguration of the two-day ‘Police Manthan: Senior Police Officers Conference–2025’ at the Police Headquarters in Lucknow. The Chief Minister said the work of the Uttar Pradesh Police is now receiving recognition in India and abroad. He added that results on the ground matter more than self-promotion.
The Chief Minister said that before 2017, Uttar Pradesh faced serious law-and-order problems, weak training capacity and poor public perception. He said reforms taken since then have improved policing and made the state more stable and competitive.
Yogi Adityanath launched the ‘Yaksh’ mobile app at the event. The app is meant to strengthen beat policing and increase use of technology in daily police work. He was earlier given a Guard of Honour at the police headquarters.
On capacity building, the Chief Minister said training infrastructure has expanded and more than 60,000 police personnel are undergoing training at state-run facilities. He also referred to structural changes such as the police commissionerate system in seven districts, expansion of cyber policing and investment in forensic infrastructure.
He said every district now has a cyber police station, and all police stations have cyber help desks. The number of Forensic Science Laboratories (FSLs) has increased from four to twelve, and six more are under construction. He said the Uttar Pradesh State Institute of Forensic Science in Lucknow has become an important centre for forensic training.
The Chief Minister also mentioned the functioning of units such as the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and the Uttar Pradesh Special Security Force (UPSSF). He said new model police stations with improved public facilities have been set up. He noted that emergency response time under UP PRV 112 has come down from around 65 minutes earlier to about 6–7 minutes now.
Yogi Adityanath said policing should remain strict against criminals while being respectful and reassuring to law-abiding citizens. He also noted that the Safe City project has been implemented across 17 municipal corporations.
Earlier, Principal Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad said a zero-tolerance policy against crime has been followed under the Chief Minister’s leadership. He said recruitment and infrastructure have improved, women beat policing has expanded, and reservations have been given to Agniveers joining the police force. He also mentioned preparedness against narcotics, terrorism and human trafficking.
Director General of Police Rajeev Krishna said policing in the state has seen major reforms since 2017. He said these reforms have improved efficiency and public trust.
Senior police officers attended the conference in person. Police officers from districts joined virtually.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday (December 27, 2025) chaired the second day of the National Conference of Chief Secretaries in New Delhi. The meeting focused on governance reforms, implementation of government schemes and long-term development goals. Discussions were held on how states can align with the national vision of Viksit Bharat while improving Centre–State cooperation.
The Prime Minister reviewed presentations and spoke with chief secretaries from all states and Union Territories. Officials said the discussions covered issues related to welfare delivery, administrative reforms and future governance needs. They added that the conference is being used as a forum for regular dialogue between the Centre and the states.
After the day’s sessions, the Prime Minister posted on X, saying he had “insightful discussions on various issues relating to governance and reforms.” Senior officials including Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr. P. K. Mishra, Cabinet Secretary T. V. Somanathan, officials of NITI Aayog and chief secretaries from across the country attended the event.
This year’s edition is themed “Human Capital for Viksit Bharat.” The discussions are focused on areas such as early childhood education, school and higher education, skilling, sports and other developmental activities. Officials said the aim is to identify practical steps that states and Union Territories can adopt to improve human capital.
The schedule for the weekend includes six special sessions on topics such as deregulation at the state level, use of technology in governance, Agri-Stack for supply chains, tourism development, Atmanirbhar Bharat and planning for areas beyond Left Wing Extremism. Separate discussions are also being held on heritage conservation, digitisation and integrating Ayush systems into primary healthcare.
The National Conference of Chief Secretaries is held every year as a platform for policymaking between the Centre and the states. The first four editions were held in Dharamsala in June 2022, and in New Delhi in January 2023, December 2023, and December 2024. The Prime Minister will chair the final session on Sunday and deliver the closing address.
In a major bureaucratic reshuffle, the Delhi government on Saturday (December 27, 2025) issued transfer and posting orders for 76 IAS and DANICS officers. In addition, nine ad hoc DANICS officers were also transferred. The reshuffle includes the posting of District Magistrates for the newly created districts of Old Delhi, Outer North and Central North, taking the total number of districts in the national capital from 11 to 13. The government has also appointed Sub-Divisional Magistrates for newly created subdivisions, increasing their number from 33 to 39.
The names of the officers and their postings as follows;
Shurbir Singh (IAS: 2004: AGMUT) has been appointed as Secretary, Finance holding additional Charge of Development Commissioner. He will also be holding additional charge of Director, DAM.
K Mahesh (IAS: 2009: AGMUT) has been appointed as MD (DKVIB) and will also hold additional charge of Secretary, Art & Culture relieving Rashmi Singh.
Sanjeev Kumar Mittal (IAS: 2011: AGMUT) has been placed at the disposal of DJB.
D Varma (IAS: 2011: AGMUT) has been appointed as Member (DUSIB) holding additional charge of ED (DFC). He will also hold additional charges of Secretary (Planning) and ED (DSFDC).
G Sudhakar (IAS: 2012: AGMUT) has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner/DM (Old Delhi)
A Nedunchezhiyan (IAS: 2012: AGMUT) has been appointed as Principal Director (Delhi Fire Service). He will also hold additional charge of CEO (DDMA) on retirement of Krishan Kumar.
Suneel Anchipaka (JAS: 2014: AGMUT) has been appointed as Special Commissioner (Trade & Taxes). He will also be holding additional charge of Special Secretary (PWD) and MD & CEO (DT&TDC) relieving Niharika Rai.
Ravi Dadhich (IAS:2014: AGMUT) has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner /DM (North).
Ranjana Deswal (IAS: 2014: AGMUT) has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner /DM (Central).
Vandana Rao (IAS: 2015: AGMUT) has been appointed as Dy. Commissioner/ DM (West). She will also hold additional charge of CVO (DSIIDC).
Mekala Chaitanya Prasad (IAS: 2015: AGMUT) has been appointed as Dy. Commissioner/ DM (South West). She will also hold additional charge of Director (Panchayat) on retirement of Indu Shekhar Mishra.
Kumar Abhishek (IAS: 2016: AGMUT) has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner/DM (Outer North),
Shailendra Singh Parihar (IAS: 2018: AGMUT) has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner/DM (Central North). He will also be holding additional charges of Secretary, DCSK and Registrar, DSEU.
Lakshay Singhal (IAS: 2019: AGMUT) has been appointed as Dy. Commissioner/DM (South). He will also be holding additional charges of Secretary (PGC) and PD (DSACS).
Ayushi (IAS: 2022: AGMUT) has been appointed as SDM (Bijwasan)
Kanika (IAS: 2022: AGMUT) has been appointed as SDM (Narela)
Anuja Trivedi (IAS: 2022: AGMUT) has been appointed as SDM (Matiala)
Jarad Pratik Anil (IAS: 2023: AGMUT) has been appointed as SDM (Bawana)
Piyush Kumar (IAS: 2023: AGMUT) has been appointed as SDM (Chhatarpur)
Anand Tiwari (DANICS:2002) has been appointed as Spl. Secretary (Information Technology) with additional charge of Director (GSDL). He will also hold additional charge of Spl. Secretary (Env.) relieving Sandeep Kumar Mishra.
Lekhraj (DANICS:2008) has been appointed as Addl. Secretary (Art & Culture)
Dharmendra Kumar (DANICS:2008) has been appointed as Administrator (DCCWS). He will also be holding additional charge of Addl. Secretary to Chief Minister.
Prashant Kumar (DANICS:2010) has been appointed as MD (DCHFC). He will also be holding additional charge of Addl. Secretary (PGC), СМО.
Ramesh Chander Meena (DANICS:2010) has been appointed as Director (NDMC).
Shingare Ram Chandra Mahadev (DANICS:2010) has been appointed as COE, DSSSB.
Puneet Kumar Patel (DANICS (2012) has been appointed as Addl. Secretary (UD) with additional charge of ADM (Central).
Rahul Aggarwal (DANICS: 2012) has been appointed as Deputy Director (Social Welfare) with additional charge of ADM (Central North).
Gurpreet Singh (DANICS:2013) has been appointed as Joint Commissioner (Trade & Taxes).
Kapil Chaudhary (DANICS:2013) has been appointed as ADM (New Delhi).
Ankur Meshram (DANICS:2014) has been appointed as ADM (Outer North).
Shimray Asaiwo Bellrose (DANICS:2014) has been appointed as Joint Commissioner (Trade & Taxes).
Nishant Bodh (DANICS:2014) has been appointed as ADM (North West).
Dhole Aom Kashinathrao (DANICS:2015) has been appointed as Addl. Secretary, DSSSB with additional charge of Director (DPCC).
Alok Kumar (DANICS:2015) has been appointed as GM (DTC).
Shashipal Dabas (DANICS:2016) has been appointed as ADM (Old Delhi) with additional charge of Secretary, Delhi Minority Commission.
Poonam (DANICS:2017) has been appointed as SDM (Gokalpuri).
Himanshu Yadav (DANICS:2018) has been appointed as SDM (Shakur Basti).
Abhishek Bhukkal (DANICS:2018) has been appointed as SDM (Shalimar Bagh).
Shiv Singh Meena (DANICS:2018) has been appointed as SDM (Mundka).
Harshit Saini (DANICS:2018) has been appointed as SDM (Janakpuri).
Deepak Pundir (DANICS:2018) has been appointed as Asstt. Commissioner (Excise).
Mala Sood (DANICS:2019) has been appointed as SDM (Sadar Bazar).
Alok Garg (DANICS:2019) has been appointed as SDM (Adarsh Nagar).
Vijay Singh Malik (DANICS:2019) has been appointed as SDM (Burari).
Ramphool Meena (DANICS:2019) has been appointed as SDM (HQ), North West.
Reeta Kaushik (DANICS:2019) has been appointed as SDM (Shahdara).
Vijay Kumar Jain (DANICS:2019) has been appointed as SDM (HQ), East.
T Misao (DANICS:2019) has been appointed as Deputy Secretary (Home).
Joseph Baxla (DANICS:2019) has been appointed as DRCS.
Jitender Kumar Singh (DANICS:2019) has been appointed as Admn. Officer (Education).
Manju Handa (DANICS:2019) has been appointed as Asstt. Commissioner (F&S).
R K Meena (DANICS:2019) has been appointed as Deputy CEO.
Ambika Ratnoo (DANICS:2020) has been appointed as DRCS.
Sanjay Kumar Ambasta (DANICS:2020) has been appointed as Deputy Director (DSW).
Pawan Kumar (DANICS:2020) has been appointed as SDM (Model Town).
Ved Prakash (DANICS:2020) has been appointed as SDM (Kirari).
Ruchi Jain (DANICS:2021) has been appointed as SDM (New Delhi).
Sandeep Yadav (DANICS:2021) has been appointed as SDM (HQ), Central.
Neelam Venkachalam (DANICS:2021) has been appointed as SDM (HQ), Quter North.
Anita Yadav (DANICS:2021) has been appointed as SDM (Nangloi Jat).
Nitesh Singh Rawat (DANICS:2021) has been appointed as SDM (Yamuna Vihar).
Gokal Chand Meena (DANICS:2021) has been appointed as SDM (Deoli).
Dinesh (DANICS:2021) has been appointed as SDM (HQ), South.
Rajvir Singh (DANICS:2021) has been appointed as SDM (HQ), West.
Parveen Singh Dhama (DANICS:2021) has been directed to report to Services Department.
Manoj Kumar (DANICS:2022) has been appointed as SDM (Chandni Chowk).
Gulshan Kumar (DANICS:2022) has been appointed as SDM (HQ), Central North.
Amod Barthwal (DANICS:2022) has been appointed as SDM (Vishwas Nagar).
Jitendra Kumar (DANICS:2022) has been appointed as SDM (Malviya Nagar).
Biju Raj E (DANICS: 2023) has been appointed as SDM (Jangpura).
Sushita Biju (DANICS:2023) has been appointed as SDM (HQ), South East
Rajesh Joshi (DANICS:2023) has been appointed as SDM (HQ), North.
Virender Singh (DANICS:2023) has been appointed as SDM (HQ), South West.
Rajat Mehrotra (DANICS:2023) has been appointed as SDM (Vikaspuri)
Ved Prakash Jha (DANICS:2023) has been appointed as Asstt. Director, DOV.
Parmod Kumar (DANICS:2023) has been appointed as DRCS.
Adhoc DANICS Officers
Manju Singh Kalshain has been appointed as Admin. Officer, Department of Higher Education.
Ajay Chaturvedi has been appointed as Admin. Officer, GNEC
Rajeev Kumar Sinha has been appointed as Dy. Secretary, DBOCWWB
Abhineet has been appointed in the office of CEO.
Tapan Kumar Jha has been appointed as Dy. Director, TTE.
Arun Gupta has been appointed as Dy. Secretary, Finance.
Yogesh Pal Singh has been appointed as SDM (Badarpur).
Pankaj Roy Gupta has been appointed as SDM (Dwarka), Revenue.
Yash Pal has been appointed as SDM (Patparganj), Revenue.
The Uttar Pradesh police are busy hosting the two-day conference at police headquarters in Lucknow. The programme is being held on December 27 and 28 under the chairmanship of none other than State Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath himself.
The Police Week, also referred to as IPS Week, is being organized after seven years. It was last held in April 2018. UP DGP Rajiv Krishna (IPS:1991:UP) said that the conference would primarily focus on strengthening people-oriented policing, enhancing technological capabilities of the police, and ensuring swift and effective action against crime and criminals.
Eleven thematic sessions will be held with 11 senior nodal IPS officers, supported by 45 other police officers, making detailed presentations. It has been structured in a way to ensure wider participation and collective responsibility in driving policing reforms.
He said each session would address key challenges and emerging priorities in law enforcement. He informed major themes included beat policing, crimes against women and children, police station management, cybercrime, human resource development, prosecution and prison reforms, crowd and disaster management, intelligence-led policing, border-related challenges, and the use of technology, forensics and in the criminal justice system.
Similarly, on December 27, discussions will focus on beat policing; crimes against women and children; human trafficking; police station upgradation; cybercrime; human resource development and training; prosecution and prisons; and the integration of new criminal laws with forensics and CCTNS 2.0.
The sessions scheduled for December 28 will cover disaster management, civil defence and home guards; large-scale crowd management; intelligence challenges linked to social media, NGOs, and the Nepal border; and issues such as terrorism, narcotics, cattle theft and other forms of organised crime.
A special supplementary session will also be organized on best practices and innovations. With wider participation, the conference is expected to emerge as a key forum for policy formulation, strategic planning, and the exchange of innovative ideas.
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