M A I N   N E W S

POSTINGS/TRANSFERS
Mukul Joshi gets back Excise
18 senior IAS officers shuffled
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 8
In less than a month of his indictment in the Panchkula episode, Mr Mukul Joshi was redesignated as Financial Commissioner, Taxation (FCT) as the Punjab Government ordered the transfer and posting of 18 IAS officers in the first administrative reshuffle after Mr Rajan Kashyap took over as Chief Secretary.

Mr K.K. Bhatnagar will be the new Principal Secretary to the Governor of Punjab as the government named the new Principal/Administrative Secretaries for the Departments of Local Government, School Education, Forests and Wildlife, Industries and Commerce, Health and Family Welfare, Irrigation, Labour and Employment, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development, Personnel and Expenditure.

The most notable posting has been of Mr Mukul Joshi, who was relieved as the Financial Commissioner, Taxation in January after the Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, asked Financial Commissioner (Revenue), Mr Bhagat Singh, to submit to him a complete report about the January 20 Panchkula episode.

The brief report submitted by Mr Bhagat Singh reportedly indicted Mr Joshi for trying to influence the then Chief Secretary, Mr Y.S. Ratra, through his wife. Though Mr Joshi was “let off” with an unrecorded warning”, he was given the charge of NRI and Industrial Liaison, Industries and Commerce, while the Department of Excise and Taxation Department was held back and given to Mr A.K. Dubey. But in less than a month, Mr Joshi has been put back as the FCT.

The Chief Secretary, Mr Rajan Kashyap, has retained the Department of Power with him in addition to General Administration and Personnel.

The following are other postings and transfers.

Mrs Rupan Deol Bajaj becomes the Financial Commissioner, Appeals - I, to relieve Mr Rajesh Chhabra of the additional charge.

Mrs Asha Attri will be the new Principal Secretary of the Departments of Social Security, Women and Child Development, Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, besides the Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities and Nodal Officer for Women Employees.

Mr K.K. Bhatnagar will be the new Principal Secretary to the Governor.

Mr Ashok Kumar Dubey has been named the Principal Secretary, Local Government Department besides the of Printing and Stationery.

Mrs Tejinder Kaur will be the Principal Secretary, School Education.

Mr P.Ram has been named the new Principal secretary, Department of Forests and Wildlife.

Mr S.C. Aggarwal will be the new Principal Secretary, Industries and Commerce.

Mr RPS Pawar has been made the Financial Commissioner, Appeals-II.

Mr DS Jaspal has become the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, in addition to Information and Public Relations.

Ms Kusumjit Sidhu will be the new Secretary, Irrigation.

Mr D.S. Bains becomes the Secretary, Labour and Employment, and in addition the Commissioner, NRIs and Industrial Liaison and also the Secretary, Lokpal, and the Secretary, Sports and Youth Services.

Mr R.C. Nayyar becomes the Commissioner (Appeals) (Jalandhar and Patiala Divisions) with headquarters at Chandigarh.

Mr Sarvesh Kaushal becomes the Secretary, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairying.

Mr Arun Goel will be the new Managing Director of the Punjab Small Industries Export Corporation.

Mr T.R. Sarangal has been named the Secretary, Personnel, while Mr M.P. Singh, on return from deputation from the Chandigarh Administration, becomes the Secretary, Expenditure, and the Member-Secretary, Disinvestment Commission, besides the Commissioner, Surplus Pool, and the Member-Secretary of the Punjab Restructuring and Reforms Commission.

Mr P.S. Aujla has been named the Secretary, Punjab Agricultural Marketing Board.

Mr Dharam Dutt has been named the Additional Secretary Personnel.