Kerala Cadre Alkesh Kumar Sharma from Cab Sec Takes Charge as New MeitY Secretary

· Post Vacant after retirement of Ajay Sawhney

· New JS also takes charge in Ministry on Completion of Saurabh Garg Tenure

Alkesh Kumar Sharma assumed charge as Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) on 5 May 2022. He is an Indian Administrative Services Officer of 1990 batch, from Kerala cadre.

Alkesh Kumar Sharma has earlier served as Additional Secretary and Secretary in the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India. In addition to other responsibilities given to him, Sharma was looking after the cabinet proposals of all infrastructure, economic, finance, industry, Agriculture and allied ministries of the Central Government.

Sharma worked as Chief Executive Officer & Managing Director of the National Industrial Corridor Development Corporation Limited (NICDC) (earlier DMICDC) from October 2015 to September 2019. He was also CEO of National Industrial Corridor Development and Implementation Trust (NICDIT). The Industrial Corridors are being developed by the Government of India as global manufacturing and investment destinations by setting up investment regions supported by the world-class infrastructure and enabling policy framework. He was also member of the Task Force on Programme/Project management set up by NITI Aayog, Govt. of India.

As Joint Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India for three years (2012-2015), he handled matters relating to National Highways Planning, land acquisition, forest and environment clearances, review and monitoring of National Highways Projects, coordination with Railways, Defence and other agencies and all matters related to toll and toll policy on the national highways. He was also Chairman of the Indian Highways Management Company Ltd. and implemented FASTAG system of toll collection.

Sharma worked with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for three years (2006-09) as National Project Director, Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation.

In the State of Kerala, he worked as the Managing Director of Kochi Metro Rail Ltd., Kochi and Additional Chief Secretary (Special Projects-Infrastructure) & Industries from September 2019 to March 2021, where he monitored the implementation of mega infrastructure projects like Semi-High Speed Rail, Airport, Ports, Smart Cities, Multi-modal Transport Hub, Waste to Energy Projects, Kochi-Bangalore Industrial Corridor and Development of Industrial Townships and Integrated Smart Manufacturing Clusters in Kerala.

Sharma also worked as the Managing Director of Kerala Tourism Development Corporation; Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation; Kerala Minerals and Metals Limited; Malabar Cement Limited and Kerala State Electronics Development Corporation. He also worked as Director, Kerala Tourism and as Secretary, Industries and Investment Promotion in Government of Kerala.

Sharma played a key role in branding and promoting Kerala Tourism as ‘God’s Own Country’ during his two tenures spanning over seven years, in Kerala.