Punya Salila Srivastava Given Additional Charge as Secretary, Ministry of Ayush During Rajesh Kotecha’s Leave
The Government of India has approved a temporary administrative arrangement in the Ministry of Ayush. As per the official order, senior IAS officer Ms. Punya Salila Srivastava, from the 1993 batch of the AGMUT cadre, has been entrusted with the additional charge of Secretary, Ministry of Ayush.
Ms. Srivastava is presently serving as Secretary, Department of Health and Family Welfare in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. She will take on the Ayush Secretary’s responsibilities from 15 November 2025 to 23 November 2025, covering the period during which the current Ayush Secretary, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, is on leave.
During this temporary assignment, Ms. Srivastava will oversee key functions of the Ministry of Ayush, including:
Coordination of national policies related to Ayurveda, Yoga, Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy
Monitoring Ayush-related research, traditional medicine initiatives, and integrative healthcare programs
Oversight of Ayush education systems and regulatory bodies
Review of ongoing schemes promoting traditional medicine and wellness
Inter-ministerial coordination between Ayush and Health sectors, especially in matters of holistic healthcare and public health initiatives
This arrangement ensures that policy decisions, administrative work, and ongoing national missions under the Ministry of Ayush continue without disruption. Ms. Srivastava’s extensive experience in public health administration, disaster management, and inter-governmental coordination is expected to help maintain the momentum of Ayush programs during this short interim period.
