Tarun Bajaj appointed revenue secretary; Ajay Seth new DEA secretary

The government has appointed 1987-batch Karnataka cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Ajay Seth as economic affairs secretary in the finance ministry.

Tarun Bajaj, a 1988-batch Haryana cadre IAS officer, who is currently secretary in the department of economic affairs, will take over as revenue secretary in the finance ministry. Bajaj was holding additional charge of the revenue department since one month following the superannuation of Ajay Bhushan Pandey.

Currently, Seth is serving in his cadre as managing director of the Bangalore Metro Rail Corporation Ltd (BMRCL). Prior to this, Seth served as the principal secretary to the primary and secondary education department in the Karnataka state government. Bajaj had taken charge of the department of economic affairs (DEA) in April last year, guiding policy through the lockdown and various stimulus measures as the government focused on recovery.


He had served as the additional secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) before shifting to the finance ministry.

In other changes, Jatindra Nath Swain, a 1988-batch IAS officer of the Tamil Nadu cadre, has been appointed secretary in the department of fisheries by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. Swain is at present managing director at the Solar Energy Corporation of India Ltd.

Ali Raza Rizvi, special secretary and financial adviser in the ministry of information and broadcasting, will be secretary in the department of public enterprises, a notification from the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions said.

Indevar Pandey, a 1988-batch IAS officer of the West Bengal cadre, currently special secretary in the ministry of development of North-Eastern region, has been appointed secretary in the department of administrative reforms and public grievances and department of pensions and pensioners welfare.

Anjali Bhawra, special secretary in the corporate affairs ministry, has been appointed secretary in the department of empowerment of persons with disabilities, in the ministry of social justice and empowerment, the notification said.

Gyanesh Kumar, additional secretary in the department of home, will take over as secretary in the ministry of parliamentary affairs upon superannuation of R S Shukla on April 30. Anil Kumar Jha, special secretary in the revenue department, has been appointed as secretary in the ministry of tribal affairs.