In a significant administrative development, the tenure of Ms. Richa Pandey (ICAS:2011) as Director at the National Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) has been concluded ahead of its originally scheduled end date.
This decision, formally approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), was officially communicated through an order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on Saturday.
Ms. Pandey had initially joined the NPPA in May 2022 in the capacity of Deputy Secretary under the Central Staffing Scheme and was subsequently elevated to the position of Director.
IAS Pandey’s deputation period had been extended and was originally set to continue until 2026. However, the Department of Pharmaceuticals put forward a proposal for the early termination of her deputation, a proposal which has now received approval from the ACC.
In a separate but equally important appointment, Ms. Kalpashree KR (IAS:2022:AP), who was previously in a waiting period for her posting, has now been assigned to the role of Joint Secretary (Vigilance). She will be serving in the Office of the Chief Commissioner of Land Administration for the state of Andhra Pradesh.
Ms. Kalpashree was one of the 158 IAS officers who were formally confirmed into the service by the President of India in June 2025, marking their transition from a probationary status to permanent, full-fledged cadre positions. This confirmed group encompassed officers from the 2020, 2021, and 2022 batches. Ms. Kalpashree’s new appointment is a notable one, positioning her in an active and significant administrative role within the Andhra Pradesh government.
