Tarun Bajaj new DEA Secy; ex-PMO official to vet all economic revival proposals at FinMin

Tarun Bajaj on Friday took over as the new Secretary of the Department of Economic Affairs (DEA), after superannuation of Atanu Chakraborty on 30 April. Tarun Bajaj is an Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of Haryana Cadre who previously held charge as Additional Secretary in Prime Minister's Office, said a statement released by the Ministry of Finance.

Appointment as DEA Secy cleared on Sunday

Bajaj's appointment as DEA Secretary was cleared on Sunday by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, amid a slew of other top-level bureaucratic changes. Bajaj was appointed as Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in April 2015 and since then, got promoted to Additional Secretary during his five-year stint.

As DEA's Secretary, Bajaj will vet all important proposals to revive the economy. In his new role, he will need to work closely with the Reserve Bank of India and capital markets regulator Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI) to ensure quick steps are taken in the interest of financial stability.

The Economic Affairs Department assists the government in maintaining sound public finances through sustainable, equitable and efficient use of the nation's economic resources. The DEA will also be at the forefront of talks with states to ensure they have adequate funding to battle Covid-19.

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In a major bureaucratic reshuffle effected on Sunday, Health Secretary Preeti Sudan was given a three-month extension to maintain continuity in the government's Coronavirus fight, while Higher Education Secretary Amit Khare was given additional charge of the I&B Ministry. As many as 23 senior IAS officers have been appointed as Secretaries in different central government departments as part of the rejig.

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(With agency inputs)