Shyam Saran to get minister of state rank

Shyam Saran, prime minister Manmohan Singh's special envoy on climate change, will soon get the rank of minister of state, a status that was given to Shiv Shankar Menon when he was recently appointed national security adviser.

An official order is likely to be issued soon, PMO sources said today.
   
Saran is a former Foreign Secretary and was three years senior to Menon in the Foreign Service from which both retired. Menon retired as foreign secretary late last year.
   
With climate change issue taking a centrestage in the international arena, the prime minister was keen on redesignating Saran, a 1970 batch IFS officer, to carry forward country's climate diplomacy.

Menon's predecessor MK Narayanan, who is now governor of West Bengal, also held the rank of MOS.