The central government has carried out a major reshuffle of top bureaucrats, shifting several senior officers to key ministries.
Amit Agrawal, a 1993‑batch IAS officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre, has been appointed Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT). He was previously Secretary of the Department of Pharmaceuticals and has held important roles, including leading the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and serving in the Ministry of Electronics & IT. Agrawal’s appointment comes at a critical time as India pushes to expand telecom networks, strengthen regulatory frameworks, and promote indigenous technology.
Neeraj Mittal, 1992‑batch IAS officer (Tamil Nadu cadre), who has been leading the telecom department since September 2023, will now serve as Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas (MoPNG). During his tenure at DoT, he oversaw major initiatives such as the rollout of around 1 lakh 4G sites by BSNL and efforts to develop India’s homegrown telecom technology stack.
Other notable changes include Manoj Joshi taking over the Department of Pharmaceuticals, V. Vidyavathi moving from Tourism to the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, and Srivatsa Krishna becoming the new Tourism Secretary. Atish Chandra will become Secretary of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare from February 2026, and Sunil Paliwal has been appointed Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India with Secretary-level rank.
The reshuffle aims to place experienced officers in crucial ministries to strengthen governance, accelerate policy implementation, and support India’s priority sectors, including telecom, energy, health, and infrastructure.
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