Chatterjee, currently serving in World Bank, has been asked to return and take up the post of secretary in the PMO. The 1974-batch IAS officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre is likely to join shortly. There is also speculation in official circles that T K A Nair, principal secretary in the PMO, may be moved out and appointed governor to one the states. The appointment of governors to at least five states is in the offing.
Swapping places with Chatterjee is M N Prasad but the former is likely to enjoy greater powers like dealing with the Cabinet and appointments, the sources said. These sources added that Chatterjee is being brought in to ensure better coordination between the PMO and Congress President Sonia Gandhi. The senior officer was private secretary to Gandhi when she was Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha. Chatterjee’s name was doing rounds to be appointed as cabinet secretary to succeed K R Chandrashekar who recently retired. However, it did not come through.
Several other changes are likely at the PMO, sources added. B V R Subramanyam, an IAS officer of Chhattisgarh cadre who had served as Private Secretary to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in UPA-I from 2004 to 2008, is also set to return to the PMO as Joint Secretary. He will replace Vini Mahajan.
Senior IFS officer Pankaj Saran is also on his way out of the PMO. A director-level reshuffle is also underway. IFS officer Sudhakar Dalela, serving as Director, is leaving the PMO for a posting in the Indian Embassy in Washington.
Director Ashish Gupta, an IAS officer from Uttar Pradesh cadre, is going back to his home state. D P S Sandhu, who is also serving as Director in the PMO, is heading to the World Bank for an assignment.
In their place, the PMO is getting Sanjay Lohia, IAS officer from Assam cadre and Kishen Kumar, IAS officer from Punjab cadre.