IDAS Officer Amit Kumar Appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Steel Under Central Staffing Scheme
In a recent administrative development at the Centre, Amit Kumar, an officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), has been appointed as Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Steel under the Central Staffing Scheme (CSS).
According to an official communication issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Amit Kumar’s selection was made after a detailed review process conducted under the Central Staffing Scheme, which facilitates the placement of Group ‘A’ officers from various central services into key policy and administrative positions across ministries.
Role and Responsibilities
As Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Steel, Amit Kumar will play a vital role in policy formulation, project evaluation, and financial oversight related to India’s steel sector — a strategic industry that forms the backbone of the country’s infrastructure and manufacturing ecosystem.
His responsibilities are expected to include coordination between the ministry and public sector steel enterprises, oversight of policy initiatives aimed at capacity expansion, and monitoring of budgetary allocations, procurement processes, and modernization programmes across the steel industry.
The Ministry of Steel, being a core economic ministry, deals with a wide range of issues including raw material security, industrial competitiveness, environmental sustainability in steel production, and the promotion of exports under the government’s Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) missions.
About the Central Staffing Scheme
The Central Staffing Scheme (CSS) serves as a mechanism to ensure that talented officers from different organized Group ‘A’ services get opportunities to contribute to central policymaking.
Under the scheme, officers from services such as IDAS, IRS, IES, IA&AS, and others are selected to serve in various central ministries and departments, typically for a tenure ranging from three to five years.
These appointments help in bringing inter-departmental expertise, administrative diversity, and cross-sectoral coordination into the policymaking framework of the Union Government.
About Amit Kumar
Amit Kumar belongs to the Indian Defence Accounts Service, a central civil service that functions under the Ministry of Defence and plays a critical role in managing the financial, audit, and accounting aspects of India’s defence establishment.
Throughout his career, he has held several positions involving financial management, internal audit, and project cost evaluation in defence-related institutions. His background in defence finance is expected to contribute significantly to his new role in the Ministry of Steel, where sound financial oversight is essential for industrial policy and large-scale infrastructure investments.
Significance of the Appointment
The induction of a seasoned IDAS officer like Amit Kumar into the Ministry of Steel comes at a time when the government is pushing for rapid industrial modernization, energy efficiency, and global competitiveness in the steel sector.
His appointment is viewed as part of a broader effort to strengthen the administrative and financial management capacity of the ministry, ensuring effective coordination with major steel producers, both in the public and private sectors.
With this posting, Amit Kumar joins the list of accomplished civil servants contributing to India’s industrial growth agenda under the Central Staffing Scheme.
His combination of financial acumen, policy insight, and administrative experience is expected to help the Ministry of Steel in advancing its goals of sustainable development, fiscal discipline, and strategic expansion of the steel industry — a key pillar of India’s economic future.
