The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has transferred former finance secretary Arvind Mayaram as a secretary in minority affairs ministry even before he took charge of his new portfolio at the tourism ministry.
Mayaram, a 1978 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, was shunted out from his post as the finance secretary and secretary of economic affairs to the ministry of tourism on October 16 where he was supposed to join on November 1. He was to replace 1977-batch IAS officer Parvez Dewan, who retires on October 31 as the tourism secretary.
He had been replaced by Rajiv Mehrishi, who was Rajasthan chief secretary, as the new economic affairs secretary.
Mayaram has now been appointed as secretary of ministry of minority affairs, in place of Lalit K Panwar – a 1979 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre – who has been appointed as new secretary in the ministry of tourism, as per a statement issued on Thursday by the department of personnel and training (DoPT).
Also, the panel has approved that Ratan P Watal, secretary at department of expenditure in the finance ministry, will assume additional charge of economic affairs secretary for one month with immediate effect or until the assumption of charge by Mehrishi or until further orders, whichever is earlier, the statement showed. Watal is a 1978 batch IAS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre.
(Edited by Joby Puthuparampil Johnson)