The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has appointed Rakesh Garg as the secretary of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).  He replaces, M F Farooqui, who retired as the DoT secretary on June 30, 2014 after serving 15 months tenure. Following Farooqui’s retirement, Ram Sewak Sharma, who is the secretary of the Department of Electronics and Information Technology, was given additional charge of the DoT till the appointment of the new secretary.

Garg is a 1980 batch IAS officer, and prior to his current appointment, was serving as the principal secretary in Uttar Pradesh. During his Central deputation, Garg had worked as the additional secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and joint secretary at the Department of Food and Public Distribution.

Meanwhile, N. Ravi Shanker, currently the administrator, Universal Service Obligation Fund will become the secretary, Department of Administrative Reforms & Public Grievances, and secretary, Department of Pensions & Pensioners’ Welfare.