New Financial Services Secretary

Hasmukh Adhia is New Financial Services Secretary

New Delhi: In yet another secretary-level change, the government on Monday appointed Hasmukh Adhia, a 1981 Gujarat cadre IAS officer, as the new Financial Services Secretary, replacing G S Sandhu.

Mr Sandhu, a 1980 Rajasthan cadre IAS officer, has been made Chairman of the National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved appointment of Mr Adhia as Secretary of Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, according to a late night statement issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).

This is the third secretary level change in the Finance Ministry after former revenue secretary Rajiv Takru was shifted to the Department of North Eastern Region and former finance secretary Arvind Mayaram was first shifted to Tourism Ministry and later to the Minority Affairs Ministry.

The transfers come amid the Finance Ministry preparing the work for Budget 2015-16.

Two days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had an interaction with secretaries of various ministries and departments. According to sources, Mr Modi had said the Budget should be "output to outcome-oriented", inferring that investments should have measurable outcomes.

Mr Adhia at present is Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department, Government of Gujarat.

Prior to this, he was Principal Secretary Education Department from April 2008 to January, 2013, and Principal Secretary to the then Chief Minister of Gujarat from May 2004 to May 2006.

He had also held the positions of Industries Commissioner, managing director at Gujarat Industrial Investment Corporation, and vice chairman and managing director at Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation.