New Delhi: Anuradha Prasad, a seasoned civil servant and former Secretary to the Government of India, assumed charge as Member of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Friday. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Lt. Gen. Raj Shukla (Retd.), the seniormost Member of the Commission.
An officer of the 1986 batch of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), Prasad has over 37 years of rich experience in public administration, policy formulation, public finance, and cooperative federalism. Prior to her appointment to UPSC, she served in various key roles across several Union Ministries including Defence, Finance, Food Processing Industries, Labour & Employment, and Home Affairs.
An alumna of Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Prasad holds a Master's degree in History from the University of Delhi and a second Master's in Development Administration from the University of Birmingham, UK.
Throughout her distinguished career, Ms. Prasad played a pivotal role in shaping and implementing a wide range of policies. In the Ministry of Defence, she oversaw the acquisition of major defence platforms, while in the Ministry of Finance, she handled financial operations for Defence Services and the Ordnance Factory Board.
Her tenure in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries saw significant strides in the development of cold chain infrastructure, food testing laboratories, and research and development initiatives. She also held regulatory positions as a member of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET).
As Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Labour & Employment, Ms. Prasad was involved in the drafting of the Labour Codes and the creation of the e-Shram portal—India's national database for unorganized sector workers. During the COVID-19 pandemic, she led critical health and welfare initiatives as Director General of the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC).
In her most recent government role as Secretary, Inter State Council Secretariat, Ministry of Home Affairs, she worked on strengthening Centre-State and Inter-State relations, helping forge consensus on complex issues and facilitating policy advancements and infrastructure development.
Following her retirement, she served as a Member of the Police Complaints Authority under the Government of NCT of Delhi.
(PSU Watch– India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy is now on Google News. Click here to follow. Also, join PSU Watch Channel in your Telegram. You may also follow us on Twitter here and stay updated.)