DGFT Anup Pujari Empanelled for Secretary, Rajeev Kher for Commerce Secretary

The DOPT finally issued the orders for the empanelment of Dr. Anup Pujari for Secretary in the Union Government on 23 January. He will move to another ministry soon as full secretary for a period of 2 years till end Feb 2016. He has a very high rank in the 1980 batch of the IAS and should get a good slot. Besides commerce, he has long experience as JS in Eco Affairs where the handled FIPB, World Bank and BITs.

The export and import community will miss him. In the six plus years association with the DGFT, he heralded many reforms specially e commerce and transparency in policy making and administration. Most important, Pujari is known for impeccable integrity, simplicity and dedication. Specially remarkable was the handling of export crash and revival. The DEPB phase out, rice trade liberalisation and the cotton trade crisis were managed well during his eventful tenure.

Senior IAS officer Rajeev Kher has been appointed Secretary in Department of Commerce. Kher, a 1980-batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, is presently Special Secretary in charge of WTO and Trade Policy Ministry of Commerce.

He will take over from S R Rao, a 1978-batch IAS officer of Gujarat cadre, after his retirement on January 31, a press release issued on 15 January by Ministry of Personnel said.

If all goes Kher should stay at the helm of the ministry for 17 months till end June 2015 when he retires. The officer is soft-spoken and a listener by nature. He believes in detailed personal study. What is best is that the enjoys the support of the PMO and Cabinet Secretariat!