Govt transfers Financial Services Secretary G S Sandhu; Appoints Gujarat IAS officer Hasmukh Adhia in his place.

In yet another secretary-level change, government today appointed Hasmukh Adhia, a 1981 Gujarat cadre IAS officer, as the new Financial Services Secretary replacing G S Sandhu. Sandhu, a 1980 Rajasthan cadre IAS officer, has been made Chairman of the National Authority for Chemical Weapons Convention.

The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved appointment of Adhia as Secretary of Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, according to a late night statement issued by Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT). This is the third secretary level change in the Finance Ministry after Former Revenue Secretary Rajiv Takru was shifted to Department of North Eastern Region and Former Finance Secretary Arvind Mayaram was first shifted to Tourism Ministry and later to Minority Affairs Ministry. 

The transfers come amid the Finance Ministry preparing the work for Budget 2015-16.  Two days ago, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had an interaction with Secretaries of various ministries and departments. According to sources, Modi had said the Budget should be "output to outcome-oriented", inferring that investments should have measurable outcomes.

Adhia at present is Additional Chief Secretary, Finance Department, Government of Gujarat. Prior to this, he was Principal Secretary Education Department from till January, 2013 and Principal Secretary to the then Chief Minister, Gujarat from May 2004 to May 2006. He had also held the position of Industries Commissioner, Managing Director, Gujarat Industrial Investment Corporation as well as Vice Chairman & Managing Director,