The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has invited applications for the post of Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of Cochin Shipyard Limited. The vacancy notification was issued on January 23, 2026, and eligible candidates can apply through the PESB portal until February 13, 2026.
The post will fall vacant on February 1, 2026, following the superannuation of the incumbent CMD, Madhu S Nair, who will retire on January 31, 2026. Nair has been heading the public sector shipbuilding major since January 2016. He was initially appointed for a tenure of five years and was granted a further five-year extension in October 2020, extending his term up to January 31, 2026.
According to the notification, candidates from both public sector undertakings and the private sector are eligible to apply for the board-level position, subject to fulfilling the prescribed eligibility criteria laid down by the PESB.
The Central government has approved a major set of wage and pension revisions covering employees and pensioners of Public Sector General Insurance Companies (PSGICs), the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The decision is aimed at improving financial security and social welfare for serving employees as well as retirees in key financial institutions.
For employees of Public Sector General Insurance Companies, the wage revision will be implemented with retrospective effect from August 1, 2022. The revision results in an overall increase of 12.41 per cent in the wage bill, including a 14 per cent rise in basic pay and dearness allowance. Around 43,247 employees of PSGICs are expected to benefit from the revision. The government has also approved an increase in the National Pension System (NPS) contribution from 10 per cent to 14 per cent for employees who joined service after April 1, 2010.
In addition, family pension for PSGIC retirees has been revised to a uniform rate of 30 per cent, effective from the date of notification in the official gazette. This change will benefit 14,615 family pensioners. The total financial outgo on account of wage revision, NPS enhancement and family pension revision for PSGICs is estimated at Rs 8,170.30 crore.
The PSGICs covered under the decision include National Insurance Company Limited, New India Assurance Company Limited, Oriental Insurance Company Limited, United India Insurance Company Limited, General Insurance Corporation of India, and Agricultural Insurance Company Limited.
In the case of NABARD, the government has approved a pay revision effective from November 1, 2022. The revision provides an increase of around 20 per cent in pay and allowances for Group ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’ employees. Nearly 3,800 serving and retired employees of NABARD will benefit from this measure. The pay revision is expected to add approximately Rs 170 crore annually to the wage bill, with arrears amounting to about Rs 510 crore.
The government has also approved a revision of pension and family pension for NABARD retirees who were originally recruited by NABARD and retired before November 1, 2017. These pensioners will now be brought at par with former RBI personnel deputed to NABARD. The pension revision will involve a one-time arrear payment of Rs 50.82 crore and an additional monthly pension outgo of Rs 3.55 crore.
For retirees of the Reserve Bank of India, the government has approved a pension and family pension revision with effect from November 1, 2022. Under the revised structure, pension and family pension have been increased by 10 per cent on basic pension plus dearness relief. This translates into an effective enhancement of basic pension by a factor of 1.43. The revision will benefit 30,769 individuals, including 22,580 pensioners and 8,189 family pensioners. The total financial implication for the RBI pension revision is estimated at Rs 2,696.82 crore.
Overall, the government’s decision is expected to benefit around 46,322 employees, 23,570 pensioners and 23,260 family pensioners across PSGICs, NABARD and RBI. The measures are aimed at helping beneficiaries cope with rising living costs while ensuring financial stability and dignity after retirement.
As India prepares for the Republic Day parade on January 26, 2026, 26-year-old Assistant Commandant Simran Bala will make history by becoming the first woman officer to lead an all-male Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) contingent during the prestigious national event.
Simran Bala, a resident of Nowshera in Rajouri district of Jammu and Kashmir, will command over 140 male CRPF personnel marching down Kartavya Path in the national capital. This is the first time in CRPF’s history that a woman officer has been appointed to lead a fully male contingent at the Republic Day parade, a role traditionally held by male officers.
Bala cleared the UPSC Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) Examination in 2023 on her first attempt, securing an All India Rank of 82, and was the only woman from Jammu and Kashmir to qualify that year. She was commissioned into the CRPF as an Assistant Commandant in April 2025.
Her first operational posting was with the ‘Bastariya’ battalion in Chhattisgarh, a unit involved in anti-Naxal operations. Her selection to lead the Republic Day contingent was based on her performance during rigorous parade rehearsals, where senior officers assessed drill precision, command presence and leadership abilities.
Simran Bala is also the first woman from her district to join the CRPF as an officer, adding regional significance to her achievement. Her historic role at the Republic Day parade is being seen as a milestone for gender representation in India’s security forces, reflecting evolving leadership norms within paramilitary ranks.
The Rajasthan government has reshuffled the bureaucracy and appointed new in-charge secretaries for all 41 districts of the state. Orders were issued by the Department of Administrative Reforms on Thursday (January 22, 2026). This is the first time in recent years that in-charge secretaries of all districts have been changed simultaneously. The previous such reshuffle was carried out on February 28, 2024.
As part of the reshuffle, 13 districts have been assigned to women IAS officers. Senior IAS officers, divisional commissioners and two officers who were awaiting posting orders (APO) have been included in the exercise. APO officers P.C. Kishan and Khajan Singh have been posted as in-charge secretaries of Dausa and Salumber districts respectively.
District-wise in-charge secretaries are as follows:
The Gujarat government on Thursday (January 22, 2026) issued transfer and posting orders for three IAS officers.
The names of the officers and their postings are as follows;
Shalini Agrawal (IAS:2005:GJ), Municipal Commissioner, Surat Municipal Corporation, Surat, has been transferred and her services are placed at the disposal of Energy & Petrochemicals Department for appointment as Managing Director, Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited, Vadodara.
Nagarajan M (IAS:2009:GJ), Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC), Ahmedabad, has been transferred and his service are placed at the disposal of Urban Development & Urban Housing Department for appointment as Municipal Commissioner, Surat Municipal Corporation, Surat.
Dr. Rajender Kumar (IAS:2004:GJ), Commissioner of Transport, Gandhinagar, has been given additional charge as Vice Chairman & Managing Director, Gujarat State Road Transport Corporation (GSRTC), Ahmedabad.
The Chhattisgarh government on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, carried out a minor reshuffle in the Indian Administrative Service, reassigning key responsibilities to three IAS officers. The most significant move is the posting of Akash Chhikara as the new Collector of Bastar district.
Kiran Kaushal (IAS:2009:CG), who was serving as Secretary in the Mantralaya, has been appointed Commissioner, Samagra Shiksha. Along with this role, she has also been entrusted with the additional charge of Managing Director of the Chhattisgarh Textbook Corporation.
Awanish Kumar Sharan (IAS:2009:CG), currently Commissioner, Town and Country Planning, and holding additional charge as Commissioner of the Housing Board, has been given the additional responsibility of Chief Executive Officer of the Raipur Development Authority.
Akash Chhikara (IAS:2017:CG), who was posted as Joint Secretary in the Housing and Environment Department and was also holding additional charge as CEO of the Raipur Development Authority and Additional CEO of the Nava Raipur Atal Nagar Development Authority, has been transferred and posted as the new Collector of Bastar district.
The Ministry of Power will showcase its grand tableau, titled “Prakash Ganga: Powering an Aatmanirbhar and Viksit Bharat”, at the Republic Day Parade on January 26, 2026, presenting India’s evolving power sector and its growing global footprint in clean and sustainable energy.
The tableau narrates India’s journey from achieving near-universal electricity access to emerging as a global leader in renewable and clean energy solutions. The theme, Prakash Ganga, meaning River of Light, symbolises the uninterrupted and seamless flow of electricity across the country through an integrated national power grid.
A key attraction of the tableau is a robotic Smart Meter model, accompanied by wind turbine generators, reflecting the power sector’s increasing reliance on digital technologies, automation, and smart solutions to improve efficiency and transparency. This segment highlights how technology is reshaping power distribution and consumption in India.
The central portion of the tableau presents the “Smart Power, Smarter Home” concept, featuring rooftop solar installations and visually reinforcing the government’s push to empower citizens as prosumers—individuals who both produce and consume electricity. A towering transmission structure depicts last-mile connectivity, while an EV charging station and electric scooter underline the power sector’s role in enabling clean mobility and sustainable transportation.
The rear segment of the tableau focuses on India’s renewable energy strength, showcasing hydroelectric, wind, and geothermal power installations. It also features a structure labelled “Switching on India”, representing modern grid control and monitoring centres that ensure grid stability and uninterrupted electricity supply across the nation.
Mounted on a structure resembling coiled electrical cables, the tableau reflects the vast scale, resilience, and complexity of India’s national power grid, which today connects millions of households and industries across diverse geographies.
Through its Republic Day presentation, the Ministry of Power reiterates its commitment to providing reliable, affordable, and sustainable electricity, positioning the power sector as a key driver of economic growth, energy security, and India’s long-term development goals.
Soon after Raipur was formally notified as a Police Commissionerate, the Chhattisgarh government on Thursday (January 22, 2026) issued transfer and posting orders for 15 IPS officers, aligning the senior police leadership with the new commissionerate framework. The reshuffle includes the appointment of Raipur’s first Police Commissioner and the placement of several officers in key positions within the newly created urban policing structure.
Senior IPS officer Sanjeev Shukla (IPS:2004:CG), who was serving as Inspector General of Police, Bilaspur Range, has been appointed as the first Police Commissioner of Raipur. His appointment marks a significant step in operationalising the commissionerate system in the state capital. To further strengthen the Raipur Police Commissionerate, Amit Tukaram Kamble (IPS:2009:CG), DIG, Kanker, has been posted in Raipur Commissionerate as Additional Police Commissioner.
Several young IPS officers have been entrusted with important responsibilities under the commissionerate setup. Umesh Prasad Gupta (IPS:2020:CG), Commandant, 14th Battalion, Balod, has been appointed as Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central), Raipur. Sandeep Patel (IPS:2020:CG), Commandant, 16th Battalion, Narayanpur, has been posted as DCP (West), Raipur, while Mayank Gurjar (IPS:2020:CG), Commandant, 16th Battalion, Dantewada, has been appointed as DCP (North), Raipur.
Vikas Kumar (IPS:2020:CG), SP (SIB), Police Headquarters, Raipur, has been transferred and posted as DCP (Traffic and Protocol), Raipur. Rajanala Smruthik (IPS:2020:CG), SP, STF, Baghera, has been appointed as DCP (Crime and Cyber), Raipur.
Ishu Agrawal (IPS:2022:CG), who was serving as City SP, Azad Chowk, Raipur, has been transferred and posted as Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Azad Chowk, Raipur.
As part of the broader reshuffle outside the commissionerate, Ramgopal (IPS:2007:CG), IG, Durg Range, has been transferred and posted as IG, Bilaspur Range, while Abhishek Shandilya (IPS:2007:CG), IG, Rajnandgaon Range, has been moved as IG, Durg Range. Balaji Rao Somawar (IPS:2007:CG), who was serving as IG (Law and Order) at Police Headquarters, Raipur, has been posted as IG, Rajnandgaon Range.
In other transfers, Lal Ummed Singh (IPS:2011:CG), SSP, Raipur, has been transferred and posted as SSP, Jashpur, while Shashi Mohan Singh (IPS:2012:CG), SSP, Jashpur, has been posted as SSP, Raigarh. Divyang Patel (IPS:2014:CG), SP, Raigarh, has been transferred and posted as SP (Rail), Raipur.
In the rural policing setup, Shweta Srivastava (IPS), who was serving as SP (Rail), Raipur, has been transferred and posted as SP, Raipur Rural.
In a major administrative step aimed at improving law and order, Chhattisgarh on Thursday (January 22, 2026) introduced a police commissionerate system in Raipur, effective from January 23. With this move, the Raipur district has been split into two separate police jurisdictions—one for urban areas and another for rural areas.
Under the new arrangement, urban areas of Raipur will come under the Raipur Urban Police District, which will be headed by an Inspector General–rank officer designated as the Commissioner of Police. The Raipur Rural Police District will continue to function under the supervision of a Superintendent of Police.
The Raipur Urban Police District will cover 21 police stations located within the Raipur city and Birgaon municipal limits. These police stations are Civil Lines, Devendra Nagar, Telibandha, Kotwali, Ganj, Gudhiyari, Gol Bazar, Purani Basti, D.D. Nagar, Azad Chowk, Amanaka, Saraswati Nagar, Kabir Nagar, Rajendra Nagar, Mujgahan, Tikrapara, Urla (within Nagar Palika Nigam Birgaon limits), Khamtarai, Khallari, Pandri and Khamhardih.
The Raipur Rural Police District will cover 12 police stations in the surrounding rural and semi-urban areas. These include Kharora, Simga, Tilda–Nevra, Mandir Hasaud, Arang, Abhanpur, Gobra Nawapara and other notified police stations under the rural jurisdiction.
A key change under the commissionerate system is that the Police Commissioner will also have the powers of an executive magistrate, allowing the city police to take quicker preventive action in situations related to public order, without waiting for separate administrative approvals. Officials said this will help the police respond faster during protests, crowd control situations and other law-and-order challenges.
The urban commissionerate has also been divided into three zones—Central, West and North—to ensure better supervision of police stations and more focused policing across different parts of the city.
State officials said the decision was taken in view of Raipur–Birgaon’s rapidly expanding urban area and a population of nearly 19 lakh. The commissionerate system is expected to improve crime control, speed up decision-making and strengthen public safety in the capital region, while rural policing will continue with dedicated focus under a separate structure.
The Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) has recommended Vivek Gupta for appointment as Director (Finance) of Container Corporation of India Limited (CONCOR). The recommendation was made after interviews conducted by the PESB on January 22, 2026.
Vivek Gupta is currently serving as Group General Manager (Finance) at the DFCCIL Corporate Office under the Ministry of Railways. His name will now be forwarded to the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) for final approval, subject to vigilance clearance and completion of other procedural requirements.
The PESB had invited applications for the post on August 29, 2025, with September 25, 2025 as the last date for submission. At present, Anurag Kapil, Executive Director, Finance (X), Railway Board, is holding additional charge of Director (Finance), CONCOR.
The candidates interviewed by the Public Enterprises Selection Board were:
Harish Chandra, Principal Executive Director (Finance), Company Secretary and CFO, Container Corporation of India Limited
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