ACC Approves appointment of Manish Bhardwaj as Adviser in the Inter-State Council Secretariat
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a major reshuffle of senior bureaucrats, placing experienced officers in critical positions across ministries and national institutions. The decision, conveyed through an official order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), underscores the government’s emphasis on strengthening leadership in disaster management, digital governance, consumer affairs, and inter-state coordination.
At the center of this reshuffle is Manish Bhardwaj, a 1997 batch IAS officer of the Gujarat cadre. Bhardwaj, who has been serving as Secretary in the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), has now been appointed as Adviser in the Inter-State Council Secretariat under the Ministry of Home Affairs. His new role, in the rank and pay of an Additional Secretary to the Government of India, places him at the heart of inter-governmental coordination, a domain crucial for fostering cooperative federalism and resolving policy issues between states and the Centre.
Another significant appointment is that of Saurabh Vijay, a 1998 batch IAS officer from the Maharashtra cadre. Vijay has been named Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI), functioning under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). UIDAI, which administers the Aadhaar programme, is one of India’s most critical digital governance institutions. His appointment at the Additional Secretary level reflects the government’s intent to further strengthen Aadhaar’s role in service delivery, financial inclusion, and digital identity management.
The ACC has also approved the appointment of Nilkanth S. Avhad, a 1999 batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, as Secretary of the NDMA. Avhad’s induction ensures continuity in the authority’s mission of disaster preparedness, mitigation, and response. His leadership will be vital in steering NDMA’s projects aimed at enhancing resilience against natural calamities and emergencies.
In another move, Priyank Bharti, a 2001 batch IAS officer of the Punjab cadre, who is presently serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, has been entrusted with additional charge as Director General of the National Informatics Centre (NIC). The NIC plays a pivotal role in providing digital infrastructure and e-governance solutions to the government. Bharti’s dual responsibility highlights the trust placed in his administrative and technological expertise.
The reshuffle also includes the appointment of Richa Misra, an officer of the Indian Defence Accounts Service (IDAS), 1996 batch, as Additional Secretary in the Department of Consumer Affairs under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution. Misra’s appointment is expected to strengthen consumer protection policies and enhance the department’s efficiency in addressing issues related to consumer rights and welfare.
This latest round of appointments reflects the government’s strategy of deploying seasoned officers to institutions that directly impact governance, disaster management, digital transformation, and consumer affairs. By aligning experienced bureaucrats with these critical sectors, the ACC aims to reinforce administrative efficiency, accountability, and service delivery at the national level.
