Sat, Oct 31, 2026
ACC Assigns Additional Charges of Three Key Central Government Positions to Senior IAS Officers
Manoj Govil, Rajendra Kumar and Sandeep Pondrik to take on additional responsibilities across the Cabinet Secretariat, Inter-State Council Secretariat and Ministry of Heavy Industries
Oct 30, 2026 · 3 min read
In a significant administrative reshuffle at the senior bureaucratic level, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the assignment of additional charges of three important positions in the Central Government to senior IAS officers. The appointments involve key administrative responsibilities relating to transport and logistics planning, Centre-State coordination and the heavy industries sector.
According to three separate orders issued by the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT) on October 30, 2026, the additional responsibilities have been assigned to Manoj Govil, Rajendra Kumar and Sandeep Pondrik.
Manoj Govil:
Manoj Govil, IAS (MP:1991), Secretary (Coordination) in the Cabinet Secretariat, has been assigned the additional charge of Secretary, Transport & Logistics Planning in the Cabinet Secretariat with immediate effect.
The arrangement will continue until the appointment of a regular incumbent or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The additional responsibility places another important coordination-related portfolio under a senior officer already serving in the Cabinet Secretariat. The Transport & Logistics Planning assignment is particularly significant given the Centre’s emphasis on integrated infrastructure development, multimodal connectivity and improving logistics efficiency.
Rajendra Kumar:
Rajendra Kumar, IAS (TN:1992), Secretary in the Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, has been assigned the additional charge of Secretary, Inter-State Council Secretariat.
The arrangement will take effect following the superannuation of Shri Ashish Srivastava, IAS (MP:1992), on October 31, 2026. Rajendra Kumar will hold the additional charge until a regular incumbent is appointed or until further orders.
The assignment assumes importance because the Inter-State Council Secretariat plays a crucial institutional role in facilitating Centre-State coordination and consultation on issues involving multiple states. The appointment comes at a time when effective coordination between the Union and state governments remains central to policy implementation and cooperative federalism.
Sandeep Pondrik:
Sandeep Pondrik, IAS (BH:1993), Secretary, Ministry of Steel, has been assigned the additional charge of Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries.
He will assume the additional responsibility following the superannuation of Shri Kamran Rizvi, IAS (UP:1991), on October 31, 2026. The arrangement will continue until a regular appointment is made or until further orders, whichever is earlier.
The development is noteworthy from an industrial policy perspective, as the Ministry of Heavy Industries oversees important programmes relating to the automobile industry, electric mobility, industrial manufacturing and capital goods. Pondrik’s existing responsibility in the Steel Ministry also places two significant industrial portfolios under his administrative oversight.
Administrative Significance:
The three ACC orders reflect a temporary administrative arrangement to ensure continuity in key Central Government departments and secretariats. Rather than announcing regular appointments, the government has opted to entrust additional responsibilities to serving senior IAS officers.
The arrangements also highlight the importance of experienced bureaucratic leadership in three critical areas: logistics and infrastructure coordination, Centre-State relations, and industrial development.
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