IAS officer Ramesh Abhishek replaces Amitabh Kant as DIPP Secretary

Senior IAS officers Ramesh Abhishek and Girish Shankar have been appointed as new secretaries for Departments of Industrial Policy and Promotion, and Heavy Industries, respectively, as part of top level bureaucratic rejig effected on Thursday.

Abhishek, who was said to be in race for the post of chief of market regulator Sebi (Securities and Exchange Board of India), will take over the charge from incumbent Amitabh Kant, who retires this month-end to join as Niti Aayog Chief Executive Officer.

Abhishek, a 1982 batch IAS officer of Bihar cadre, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty, a newly created post for the purpose, in Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion with immediate effect in the rank and pay of Secretary, an order issued by Department of Personnel and Training said.

He is presently working as Secretary (Performance Management) in Cabinet Secretariat. His batchmate Shankar has been appointed as new Secretary in Department of Heavy Industry. He will take over the charge from Rajan S Katoch who superannuates on February 29, it said.