Jaswant Singh finalises budget team

NEW DELHI: Finance minister Jaswant Singh finally has a Budget team in place, with finance secretary DC Gupta being given the key portfolio of economic affairs. Mr Gupta, a ‘67 batch IAS officer, was previously holding only an additional charge of economic affairs alongwith expenditure, which was his main portfolio. D Swarup, additional secretary in the Expenditure Department, besides being in charge of the Budget division, has now been elevated as a officer on special duty in charge of the Expenditure Department, in the rank and pay of secretary, replacing Mr Gupta. The rules have been relaxed for this purpose due to special circumstances as the Budget preparation has already commenced on October 29. Swarup is an IA&AS officer of ‘68 batch and has now been in the finance ministry at a senior level for over a decade now.
With the appointment of Mr Gupta as a secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), there will be no change in the portfolio of the other secretaries in the ministry.
NS Sisodia will now continue as secretary, financial services and Vineeta Rai as the revenue secretary. The government had appointed a joint secretary in the Budget division a few months back. Mr Swarup, who has spent over eleven years in the finance ministry in different capacities, will continue to steer the Budget.
division, which will now be a part of Expenditure instead of DEA.
The other appointments, approved by the appointment committee of the Cabinet, include Vijay Bhushan, an Indian Postal Service officer of the ‘67 batch, as the new secretary in the Department of Posts. Mr Bhushan will replace P Balasubramanian, who retires on November 30.