New Delhi: The Appointments Committee of Cabinet (ACC) on Friday, in a major reshuffle of the top bureaucratic posts, approved the appointment of appointed Rajesh Kumar Singh as the defence secretary.

A 1989-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Kerala cadre, Singh will succeed Aramane Giridhar upon completion of his tenure on October 31. He will initially take charge as Officer on Special Duty.

Singh currently is the secretary in the department for promotion of industry and internal trade, ministry of commerce and industry.

The ACC also approved the appointment of Punya Salila Srivastava, currently serving as special secretary in the prime minister’s office, as the new health secretary. She will initially assume the role of officer on special duty.

“The officer will take over as Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare.. Vice Apurva Chandra, IAS, upon his superannuation on September 30,” the government order read.

The committee also approved the appointment of Katikithala Srinivas, the current secretary of ministry of minority affairs, as the secretary of the ministry of housing and urban affairs.

Similarly, Manoj Govil, secretary of the ministry of corporate affairs, has been appointed as the secretary, department of expenditure, ministry of finance. Senior bureaucrat Deepti Umashankar has been appointed as the new secretary to the President.

The order also stated that Vivek Joshi, the current financial services secretary, will take over as the secretary of the department personnel and training.

It stated that Ashok Kumar Kaluaram Meena, lAS, chairman and managing director of the food corporation of India, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the department of drinking water and sanitation in the Jal Shakti ministry.

The appointments committee also approved in-situ upgradation of two officers to the level of special secretary in the rank and pay of secretary to the Government of India. These include Vikram Dev Dutt, a 1993 batch IAS officer, as the director general of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and Sunil Paliwal, chairperson, Chennai Port Trust, as the chairperson of the Chennai Port Trust in the rank and pay of secretary to the government.

(With Inputs From Agencies)