Senior IAS officer Subodh Yadav (IAS:1999:KN), who was serving as Additional Secretary in the Department of Water Resources, River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, has been repatriated to his parent Karnataka cadre.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (January 21, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved his repatriation on personal grounds.
Subodh Yadav has been serving in the department since January 2020, when he was initially appointed as Joint Secretary for a five-year tenure. He was later elevated to the rank of Additional Secretary in August 2024.
The central deputation tenure of M Ramachandrudu (IAS:2009:BH), currently serving as Director of Census Operations (DCO) and Director of Citizen Registration (DCR), Bihar, has been extended by three months.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (January 21, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal of the Ministry of Home Affairs to extend his deputation tenure beyond December 12, 2025, for a further period of three months or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Ramachandrudu has been holding the post since August 2022. His deputation tenure, which was earlier scheduled to conclude on December 31, 2025, will now continue until March 31, 2026.
The central deputation tenure of Aishvarya Singh (IAS:2008:SK), currently serving as Joint Secretary in the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, has been extended by one year.
According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (January 21, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the proposal to extend her deputation beyond February 5, 2026, for a further period of one year or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
Singh has been serving as Joint Secretary in the Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation since September 2025, when she was shifted from the Department of Commerce, where she had held the same rank since August 2024.
Prior to her posting in the Department of Commerce, Singh served in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) for over seven years. She joined the PMO as Under Secretary in February 2017 and was subsequently promoted to Deputy Secretary and Director-level positions, serving there until August 2024.
In June 2024, Singh was empanelled for Joint Secretary-level posts in the Government of India and was later appointed to the rank following her transfer from the PMO.
A group of retired Central Armed Police Force (CAPF) officers has moved the Supreme Court with a contempt petition against the Union Home Secretary, Govind Mohan (IAS:1989:SK), over the deputation of IPS officers in the CAPFs. These officers have alleged the willful non-implementation of the apex court’s ruling to “progressively reduce” the deputation of IPS officers in the Senior Administrative Grade or up to the rank of Inspector General (IG) in CAPFs.
The petition has been filed by four retired CAPFs officers—Mahender Singh Deo, Radha Mohan Meena, Vikesh Kumar, and Sanjay Prakash, the original petitioner in the case. The petitions were filed on three different dates: on Dec 3, 6, and 9.
The Supreme Court on May 23 last year had directed the Union Govt to “progressively reduce” the deputation of IPS officers in CAPFs up to the level of IGs in the next two years, while conducting the time-bound review of cadre and service rules in six months.
The apex court had ruled that Group A Executive Cadre officers of CAPFs are Organised Group A Services (OGAS) for all purposes.
The top court’s ruling virtually meant a significant reduction in the IPS dominance in CAPFs, as around 13,000 CAPF officers are likely to directly benefit from the apex court’s judgement in securing faster promotions and overcoming stagnation.
But the Supreme Court’s ruling was challenged by the Union Home Ministry, which is the cadre-controlling authority of both the CAPFs and the IPS. But the top court dismissed the review petition on October 28, 2025, making the ruling final.
Following it, the Home Ministry, on December 26, wrote to the Director General (DG) of all CAPFs—the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Border Security Force (BSF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), and the Assam Rifles—to undertake a comprehensive review of Group A cadres and submit detailed proposals to the Ministry.
A CAPF official pointed out that the May 23 top court judgment also asked to review the service rules within a period of six months that effectively grant them the status of OGAS.
Virtually, the purpose of cadre review, done every five years, is to determine future requirements and plan recruitment to avoid promotional blocks. It is done to enhance the effectiveness of the service by harmonising the functional needs with the legitimate career expectations of its members. But unfortunately, no cadre review has been undertaken for the last ten years, with the last cadre review having been conducted in 2016.
These former CAPF officers contend that despite SC directives, the deputation of IPS officers is continuing in CAPFs, and there is no attempt to amend the service rules or undertake cadre review.
At present, 20% of posts in the DIG rank and 50% of posts in the rank of IG in CAPFs are reserved for IPS officers.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Secretary Anurag Jain has issued a stern warning to district collectors and senior officers, cautioning that administrative lapses are under close scrutiny and that accountability will be strictly enforced.
Chairing the second review meeting of the Collector–Commissioner Conference in Bhopal on Wednesday, Jain said complaints against collectors and senior officials have reached both him and Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav. He made it clear that officers should not presume that irregularities remain unnoticed, stating that the government has complete visibility over district-level functioning.
The Chief Secretary undertook a district-wise review of 85 agenda points discussed during the earlier Collector–Commissioner Conference and shared performance rankings of districts. Clear timelines were set for underperforming districts to improve outcomes.
Reviewing flagship initiatives, Jain assessed the progress of the Muskan Campaign and noted that over 1,900 missing minor girls have been traced so far. While Tikamgarh, Dhar and Singrauli were identified as better-performing districts, Panna, Morena and Bhind were flagged for weak public outreach.
Jain expressed serious dissatisfaction with the Revenue Department, particularly delays in grievance redressal on the RCMS platform, and said inadequate supervisory control by collectors was eroding accountability. He also flagged a case involving the alleged delay in implementation of a ready software system, warning that any attempt to favour private entities would not be tolerated.
During the meeting, Jain reprimanded the Betul Collector for using a mobile phone while proceedings were underway and flagged zero progress in MNREGA works in districts where CEO posts remain vacant.
Officials said the Chief Secretary has directed strict monitoring of compliance, indicating a tougher administrative stance in the coming weeks.
The Bengal government heaved a sigh of relief after the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) directed it on Wednesday to submit a fresh list of IPS officers to the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) by January 23 for shortlisting three names for appointing a new chief of the state police. The state govt acted with alacrity and sent the revised list to the UPSC within hours of the tribunal’s order. Sources in the state home department confirmed it.
The tribunal has also directed the UPSC to convene the empanelment committee meeting by January 28, prepare the panel, and forward it to the state by January 29. It thus clears the decks for the appointment of a new DGP by Jan 31—the day acting DGP Rajeev Kumar retires. It means the state is poised to have a new DGP on February 1.
The Bengal’s DGP post fell vacant more than two years back, on December 28, 2023, and since then, IPS officer Rajeev Kumar (IPS:1989:WB) has been officiating as an acting DGP. The Bengal govt. dilly-dallied in initiating the process for appointment of a regular DGP as per the Supreme Court’s guidelines in the Prakash Singh case of 2006. It resulted in an inordinate delay on the part of the Bengal govt in submitting the DGP empanelment proposal to the UPSC. It was exactly due to this reason that the UPSC recently returned its proposal and directed the state govt to the Supreme Court for further instruction.
The UPSC said that the state government forwarded its proposal only in July 2025, after the lapse of more than one and a half years after the vacancy occurred in Dec 2023.
However, the Bengal govt submitted its panel in July 2025 with a list of 10 IPS officers, including acting DGP Rajeev Kumar. Interestingly, the UPSC also shortlisted three candidates, but the process was stalled after IPS officer Rajesh Kumar (IPS: 1990:WB), currently serving as principal secretary in the department of mass education and library sciences, challenged the selection.
It was Kumar who approached the tribunal seeking to include his name in the UPSC’s panel of three senior-most IPS officers for appointment to the DGP post that paved the way for submission of a fresh list by the Bengal govt.
Kumar, who is also scheduled to retire at the end of January, had argued that any further delay in preparation of the panel would jeoparadise his right to be considered for appointment to the DGP post.
Interestingly, two of Bengal’s senior-most IPS officers—both Rajesh Kumar and Rajeev Kumar—are set to retire on January 31.
REC Limited, a Maharatna Company under the Ministry of Power, is proud to announce that Awanish Kumar Bharati, General Manager (Finance), REC Limited, has been conferred with the prestigious ICPA Treasury Excellence Award in recognition of his exceptional achievements and leadership in the field of Treasury Management.
The award was presented during the National Finance Conclave and Awards 2026, held at the iconic Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi. The honour was bestowed upon Shri Bharati by Meenakshi Lekhi, Former Minister of State for External Affairs, and Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Former Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MOEFCC), in the presence of eminent leaders from the finance, banking, and policy-making fraternity.
The ICPA Treasury Excellence Award is regarded as one of the most respected recognitions in the finance domain, celebrating professionals who demonstrate outstanding expertise, strategic vision, and impactful leadership in treasury and financial management.
REC Limited remains committed to fostering professional excellence and continues to support initiatives that strengthen India’s financial and power sector ecosystem.
Senior IAS officer Iqbal Singh Chahal (IAS:1989:MH), who missed the post of Maharashtra Chief Secretary multiple times, has been given a significant post-retirement assignment by the state government. Chahal, set to retire on January 31, 2026, has been appointed Chairman of the Mumbai Police Housing Township Project with the rank of Minister of State (MoS). He will assume charge from February 1, 2026, with a tenure of five years.
Chahal becomes the second senior bureaucrat in the current government to be granted an MoS-rank post after retirement, following Praveen Pardeshi (IAS:1985:MH), who was appointed Chief Economic Adviser to the Chief Minister and CEO of the Maharashtra Institution for Transformation (MITRA).
The Mumbai Police Housing Township Project is a flagship state initiative aimed at providing quality residential accommodation to Mumbai Police personnel and their families, with the objective of improving living standards and welfare within the police force.
Currently serving as Additional Chief Secretary, Home Department, Chahal has long been regarded as a no-nonsense and result-oriented administrator and has consistently remained among the most influential officers in the state bureaucracy. Despite his seniority and administrative track record, he repeatedly missed out on the coveted Chief Secretary’s post.
Chahal emerged as a strong contender when then Chief Secretary Sujata Saunik (IAS:1987:MH) was due to retire on June 30, 2025. At that time, he was among the frontrunners along with Rajesh Kumar Meena (IAS:1988:MH) and Bhushan A. Gagrani (IAS:1990:MH). However, the state government appointed Rajesh Kumar Meena, who was senior to Chahal in service.
Chahal’s prospects briefly revived when Rajesh Kumar Meena was scheduled to retire on August 31, 2025, as another senior officer of the same batch, Rajesh Aggarwal (IAS:1989:MH), was on central deputation at the time. However, Chahal’s chances were stalled after Meena’s tenure was extended by three months till November 30, 2025.
Chahal again figured in the probable list when the process to identify Meena’s successor began. But before Meena’s extended tenure could expire, Rajesh Aggarwal, who was serving as Secretary, Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, was repatriated to his parent cadre Maharashtra on October 28, 2025, at the request of the state government. The repatriation was clearly aimed at appointing Aggarwal as the next Chief Secretary. On November 28, 2025, Aggarwal was appointed Chief Secretary of Maharashtra, once again ending Chahal’s chances of occupying the top bureaucratic post in the state.
With Aggarwal’s appointment, several senior officers from the 1990 batch, including Bhushan Gagrani, Anil Diggikar, Deepak Kapoor, O.P. Gupta, and Meeta Lochan (on central deputation) also lost the opportunity to become Chief Secretary, as all are due to retire before Aggarwal completes his tenure on November 30, 2026.
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Konkan Railway Corporation Limited (KRCL) on Tuesday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen integrated infrastructure development through closer coordination between road and rail projects.
The MoU was signed at NHAI headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav and senior officials of both organisations. The agreement provides a broad framework for cooperation aimed at optimising resources and leveraging technical expertise to enhance connectivity and infrastructure efficiency.
Under the MoU, NHAI and KRCL will collaborate on integrated planning of National Highway and railway infrastructure, particularly in challenging terrains. The focus areas include development of rail-cum-road bridges, tunnels, multi-modal logistics parks, inter-modal hubs, grade separators, and common utility corridors at locations where highways and railway lines intersect.
The partnership will also enable NHAI to draw upon KRCL’s experience in executing projects in difficult geographical conditions, especially in complex bridge and tunnel construction, slope stabilisation, and safety audits. The two organisations will also share best practices in engineering design, project management, construction methodologies, and environmental management.
Both agencies will explore joint utilisation of surplus land parcels for commercial and logistics development, while also working on improving first-mile and last-mile connectivity for freight and passenger movement by integrating road and rail networks.
A Joint Working Group comprising representatives from NHAI and KRCL will be constituted to identify specific projects, conduct feasibility studies, and monitor implementation. The MoU will remain valid for an initial period of five years.
The Director-General (DG) of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Praveer Ranjan (IPS:1993:AGMUT), spoke about the kind of responsibilities to be assigned to ex-Agniveers who were absorbed into the CISF. He said that an internal committee has been constituted for this purpose, and they will be assigned the responsibilities once they are determined.
Ranjan said they are yet to get instructions from the Ministry of Home Affairs on the reservation percentage for Agniveers in the CISF as well as the pattern of reservation to be followed.
It should be mentioned here that the central government had started the Agnipath recruitment scheme in June 2022, under which candidates are inducted into the Army, the Navy, and the Air Force as Agniveers for four years. Of them, 75% are retired after four years, while the remaining 25% are retained in service.
Later it was announced by the Home Ministry that 10% of all vacancies in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) would be reserved for retired Agniveers. The first batch of Agniveers is set to retire from the services in the coming months.
It had been earlier reported that the Home Ministry had enhanced the reservation for former Agniveers in the Group C posts of all CAPFs to 50% from the existing 10%.
The Home Ministry followed it up by notifying that 50% of vacant constable posts in the Border Security Force (BSF) would be reserved for ex-Agniveers on December 19, 2025.
The CISF DG said the MHA had decided to absorb Agniveers into the force and that his force is looking into the induction protocol as to where their services could be used. He added that the CISF will be preparing a blueprint for it.
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