The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a series of secretary-level appointments and transfers across several ministries, according to an order issued by the Cabinet Secretariat on August 10.
The changes include new secretaries for the Ministries of Corporate Affairs, Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Jal Shakti and Home Affairs.
Pallavi Jain Govil to head Corporate Affairs
Pallavi Jain Govil, IAS (MP:94), currently Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
She will replace Deepti Gaur Mukherjee, IAS (MP:93), who has been appointed Secretary, Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education.
Mukherjee, in turn, will replace Vineet Joshi, IAS (MN:92), who has been appointed Secretary, Ministry of Panchayati Raj.
Sushil Kumar Lohani gets Inland Waterways role
Sushil Kumar Lohani, IAS (OR:95), currently Officer on Special Duty in the Cabinet Secretariat, has been appointed Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India under the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
The post will be temporarily upgraded to the rank and pay of Secretary to the Government of India. Lohani will replace Sunil Paliwal, IAS (TN:93), who has been appointed Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs.
Changes in Jal Shakti and Home Affairs
VL Kantha Rao, IAS (MP:92), currently Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti, has been appointed Officer on Special Duty, Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs, in the rank and pay of Secretary.
He will take over as Secretary of the department after the superannuation of Ansuli Arya, IAS (BH:89), on September 30, 2026.
Archana Varma, IAS (AM:95), Mission Director, National Water Mission, has been appointed Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Sunil Paliwal moves to Youth Affairs
Following Govil's appointment as Corporate Affairs Secretary, Sunil Paliwal has been appointed Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs, Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports.
The order said the appointments were approved in partial modification of an earlier order dated July 23, 2026.