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Centre increases UP’s cadre strength of IAS officers from 652 to 683

By
LO Bureau
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UP PCS officers' promotion to IAS

In a significant move to reduce cadre pressure, the Union Government has increased the quota of the IAS officers for Uttar Pradesh. The state will now have 31 more IAS officers in its cadre after the revision of its sanctioned strength from 652 to 683. It was done through an amendment in the Indian Administrative Service (Fixation of Cadre Strength) Regulations, 1955, brought in by the Union Government.

The decision to increase UP’s cadre strength was notified by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on December 31, 2025. The revised strength also came into effect immediately after its publication in the Official Gazette.

According to the notification, 476 posts will be filled through direct recruitment, while 207 posts will be filled through promotion.

The DoPT’s notification states that the total number of senior duty posts in the Uttar Pradesh cadre has been fixed at 370, the Central Deputation Reserve (CDR) capped at 148 posts, and the State Deputation Reserve limited to 92 posts. The Training Reserve stands at 12 posts, and the Leave Reserve and Junior Posts Reserve at 61 posts.

The revised cadre structure includes key senior positions such as Chief Secretary, Agriculture Production Commissioner, Industrial Development Commissioner, Divisional Commissioners, Principal Secretaries, District Magistrates, and several heads of departments and statutory authorities.

According to the new cadre regulation, there will be 25 principal secretaries, 12 divisional commissioners, and 46 secretaries to the state government. Besides, the cadre includes 75 district magistrates and 84 special secretaries to the state government. The cadre strength also covers senior positions in urban development authorities, power distribution companies, health missions, rural development agencies, and regulatory bodies, among others.

ACC appoints Amit Tandon as Director (Projects) of RVNL

By
LO Bureau
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Amit Tandon has been appointed as Director (Projects) of Rail Vikas Nigam Limited (RVNL). According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Friday (January 2, 2026), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved his appointment till the date of his superannuation on January 31, 2030, or until further orders, whichever is earlier. He has assumed charge on the same day.

Notably, Tandon was recommended for the post of Director (Projects) of RVNL by the Public Enterprises Selection Board (PESB) in its selection meeting held on October 11, 2025. He was selected from a panel of 10 candidates.

Prior to his appointment, Tandon was serving as Principal Executive Director (Metro) at RVNL, where he oversaw key infrastructure projects, including metro systems, highway bridges, and track works.

Also Read: PESB Recommends Amit Tandon as Director (Projects) of RVNL

Hardeep Singh Ahluwalia appointed interim MD & CEO of Canara Bank

By
LO Bureau
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Hardeep Singh Ahluwalia

Hardeep Singh Ahluwalia has been appointed as Managing Director (MD) & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Canara Bank. Ahluwalia will be functioning in this capacity in an additional charge, effective January 1, 2026. This interim arrangement had to be made following the superannuation of K Satyanarayana Raju from the post on December 31, 2025.

The Department of Financial Services (DFS) under the Ministry of Finance issued a notification to this effect on December 30, 2025.

Ahluwalia is currently serving as Executive Director at Canara Bank and will be holding the charge of MD & CEO for a period of three months or until a regular incumbent is appointed.

The interim arrangement has been made to ensure continuity and stability at the helm of the public sector lender during the transition phase.

Ahluwalia has been a seasoned banker with over three decades of experience in handling a wide range of assignments across business verticals and geographies. His professional career includes exposure to international banking operations, notably in Hong Kong, along with extensive experience in credit, operations, risk management, and strategic leadership roles within the banking sector.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Financial Services Institutions Bureau (FSIB) had on December 22, 2025, recommended Brajesh Kumar Singh’s name for appointment as MD & CEO of Canara Bank. But it needs approval from the Appointments Committee of the Union Cabinet.

Manish Raj Gupta given additional charge of RINL CMD

By
LO Bureau
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Manish Gupta RINL CMD

Manish Raj Gupta has been given the additional charge as Chairman & Managing Director (CMD) of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited (RINL), a Navratna Central Public Sector Enterprise (CPSE) under the Ministry of Steel. Gupta is currently serving as Director (Technical, Projects & Raw Materials) at Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL).

Gupta’s association with the steel industry dates back to 1991, when he joined the Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) as a Management Trainee (Technical) at Durgapur Steel Plant and has since built a distinguished career across various SAIL units.

A mechanical engineering graduate, Gupta’s tenure has been marked by strong leadership and technical excellence.

Gupta has an abundance of experience, and during his nearly three decades at Durgapur Steel Plant, Gupta made significant contributions to plant operations, project execution, and equipment reliability. He later joined Bokaro Steel Plant as Chief General Manager, heading the Steel Melting Shops.

From there he went on to serve as Executive Director (Works) at IISCO Steel Plant, where he led initiatives in sustainability, cost optimization, and digitalization.

He has been known as a visionary and proactive leader, whose career often reflected his strong commitment to the growth of the steel industry in the country.

CBDT assigns additional charge to several Pr. CCIT and CCIT officers

By
LO Bureau
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The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) on Wednesday (December 31, 2025) assigned additional charges to several officers in the rank of Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (Pr. CCIT) and Chief Commissioner of Income Tax (CCIT) with effect from January 1, 2026. According to Order issued by the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, the officers have been entrusted with additional responsibilities in addition to their existing charges and will continue to hold them until further orders.

Among the key assignments, Preeti Garg (IRS-IT:1989), Pr. CCIT, Karnataka & Goa Region, Bengaluru, has been given additional charge of Pr. CCIT, Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Region, Chennai. Aparna Karan (IRS-IT:1990), Pr. CCIT, UP (West) & Uttarakhand Region, Kanpur, has been assigned additional charge of Pr. CCIT, UP (East) Region, Lucknow, while Sumeet Kumar (IRS-IT:1989), Pr. CCIT, Rajasthan Region, Jaipur, will additionally look after Pr. CCIT, MP & Chhattisgarh Region, Bhopal.

Bijoy Kumar Panda (IRS-IT:1992), DGIT (Inv.), MP & Chhattisgarh Region, Bhopal, has been entrusted with the additional charge of DGIT (Inv.), AP & Telangana Region, Hyderabad. M. Anil Kumar (IRS-IT:1990), Pr. CCIT, AP & Telangana Region, Hyderabad, will hold additional charge of Pr. CCIT, Odisha Region, Bhubaneswar, while Nidhi Srivastava (IRS-IT:1992), CCIT-7, Delhi, has been assigned the additional charge of CCIT-2, Delhi.

Further, Rolee Agarwal (IRS-IT:1991), CCIT-4, Delhi, has been given additional charge as Member-1 of the Interim Boards for Settlement-I, II and III, Delhi, and Pallavi Agarwal (IRS-IT:1991), CCIT (OSD), Delhi, will additionally serve as CCIT (International Taxation), Delhi.

In the same order, Manoj Pandey (IRS-IT:1992), DGIT (Inv.), Delhi, has been assigned additional charge of DGIT (Inv.), Rajasthan Region, Jaipur. Narender Kumar (IRS-IT:1990), DGIT (Inv.), Karnataka & Goa Region, Bengaluru, will also look after DGIT (Inv.), Kerala Region, Kochi and DGIT (Inv.), Tamil Nadu & Puducherry Region, Chennai. Renuka Jain Gupta (IRS-IT:1992), CCIT, UP (West) & Uttarakhand Region, Dehradun, has been given additional charge of CCIT, UP (West) & Uttarakhand Region, Ghaziabad.

Additionally, Nirupama Kotru (IRS-IT:1992), CCIT-7, Mumbai Region, will hold charge of CCIT-3, Mumbai, while Vikram Sahay (IRS-IT:1992), CCIT-9, Mumbai Region, has been assigned additional responsibility as Member-2, Board for Advance Rulings-III, Mumbai.

IAS Sandhya Venugopal Sharma joins Titan as its Board Chairperson

By
LO Bureau
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IAS Sandhya Venugopal Sharma

An IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, Sandhya Venugopal Sharma (IAS:1995:TN), has joined the Titan Company as its Board Chairperson and Additional Director. She has joined as a nominee of the Tamil Nadu Industrial Development Corporation (TIDCO). It should be mentioned here that Titan is a joint venture of the Tata Group and TIDCO.

Sharma has held a variety of key administrative and technical roles during her career earlier.

Her appointment as the Board Chairperson was announced by the company on Tuesday. Sharma will replace another IAS officer, Arun Roy (IAS:2003:TN). Roy will continue to serve as Director on the Titan Board.

IPS officer Devesh Kumar Mahla appointed Director in D/o Social Justice

By
LO Bureau
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IPS Devesh Kumar Mahla

IPS officer Devesh Kumar Mahla (IPS:2012:AGMUT) has been appointed as Director in the Department of Social Justice & Empowerment on central deputation for a period of five years.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Thursday (January 1, 2026), the competent authority approved his appointment for a tenure of five years from the date of assumption of charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier.

Mahla’s name was recommended for central deputation by the Ministry of Home Affairs. He is presently serving as Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), New Delhi district.

Pankaj Pandey gets additional charge as DG of DD News

By
LO Bureau
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Senior Indian Information Service (IIS) officer Pankaj Pandey (IIS:2002) has been entrusted with the additional charge of Director General, DD News, New Delhi, while continuing in his existing role as Additional Director General (ADG), DD News.

According to an order issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Wednesday (December 31, 2025), Pankaj Pandey, an SAG officer of IIS Group ‘A’, will look after the work of Director General, DD News, New Delhi, in addition to his present assignment. The arrangement has come into effect immediately and will remain in force until further orders.

Vikas Chand Chaturvedi appointed DG, DGFASLI

By
LO Bureau
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Senior Central Secretariat Service officer Vikas Chand Chaturvedi (CSS) has been appointed Director General (Joint Secretary level) of the Directorate General of Factory Advice Service & Labour Institutes (DGFASLI), Mumbai, under the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

According to an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Wednesday (December 31, 2025), the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) approved his appointment with pay at Level 14 of the Pay Matrix. Chaturvedi will hold the post from the date of assumption of charge until the date of his retirement on July 31, 2027.

Notably, Chaturvedi will succeed Alok Mishra (IIS:1998), Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, who had been holding additional charge of the post since 2024 and was granted two six-month extensions during the interim period.

Suspended Bihar IAS Sanjeev Hans inducted as Revenue Board member in latest reshuffle

By
LO Bureau
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Corruption case against IAS

Bihar’s controversial IAS officer Sanjeev Hans (IAS:1997:BR) has finally got a posting in the latest reshuffle undertaken by the Bihar government. He has been inducted as an additional member of the Revenue Board. Hans’s suspension had been revoked a few weeks back after getting bail in a money laundering case.

Earlier, he was put behind bars after being accused in a multi-crore money laundering case and was also accused of gang rape. He was part of an IAS reshuffle that has seen 16 officers transferred in the state.

The General Administrative Department (GAD) notified Hans’ rejoining on the new post along with the shuffle and additional charges allotted to 16 other senior IAS officers.

He was posted as the Principal Secretary in the energy department when the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested him in October 2024 following allegations of money laundering and corruption linked to irregularities in power sector tenders during his tenure.

Subsequently, he was put under judicial custody for about 10 months, during which he was stripped of administrative duties.

In October 2025, the Patna High Court granted him conditional bail, and the state govt lifted his suspension. Since then, he has been waiting for posting. Officials said that the decision to revoke his suspension and reinstate his service reflects ongoing legal developments. The investigation is still on.

Among the IAS officers who have been shuffled is Narmdeshwar Lal (IAS:1998:BR). Lal, who is currently posted with the sugarcane industries department, will be joining as the new Principal Secretary of the Agriculture Department.

Similarly, Vinay Kumar (IAS:1999:BR) has been posted as Principal Secretary in the Urban Development and Housing Department (UDHD), replacing Sandeep Kumar R Pudkalkatti (IAS:2006:BR). Pudkalkatti has been transferred to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department as its Secretary. Vinay Kumar was also awaiting posting for the last few weeks.

Other changes effected by the reshuffle involve divisional commissioners: Prem Singh Meena (IAS:2000:BR) is the new commissioner of Munger division, Manish Kumar (IAS:2005:BR) shifted to Saran division, and Girivar Dayal Singh (IAS:2008:BR) will be taking over as the new commissioner of Tirhut division. These postings are expected to strengthen oversight in flood-prone and agriculturally rich areas.

According to govt sources, these transfers were effected with a view to align experienced officers with priority sectors ahead of the upcoming Budget Session and ongoing development programmes.

Govt officials term the recent transfers as having been effected to maintain momentum in governance, especially as the state has been grappling with challenges like migration, flooding, and economic diversification.

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