New Delhi: The government has announced two important bureaucratic appointments on Wednesday. Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Secretary at the Ministry of Power, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Home Affairs. Additionally, Atanu Chakraborty has been appointed as the new Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs succeeding S C Garg, who will be the new Power Secretary.

An official government order said that Bhalla, a 1984-batch IAS officer of the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, will take over as the Union Home Secretary after the incumbent, Rajiv Gauba, he retires on August 31. He is, however, supposed to join the MHA with immediate effect and will serve as OSD till Gauba retires for smooth transition of the responsibilities.

Bhalla will have a fixed tenure of two years as Union Home Secretary till August 2021.

Chakraborty, on the other hand, is currently serving as Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) Secretary and will be replaced by Anil Kumar Khachi.