The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved a fresh round of Secretary-level appointments. The order came on August 10, 2026. It partially modifies an earlier order dated July 23, 2026. The ACC order touches five ministries: Corporate Affairs, Education, Youth Affairs and Sports, Jal Shakti, Home Affairs, and Ports, Shipping and Waterways.
Secretary Post at Corporate Affairs Goes to Pallavi Jain Govil
Pallavi Jain Govil moves from Youth Affairs to Corporate Affairs. She takes over as Secretary, Ministry of Corporate Affairs. She replaces Deepti Gaur Mukerjee in this role. The Department of Personnel and Training issued the order. It falls under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
Deepti Gaur Mukerjee shifts to Higher Education. She becomes Secretary, Department of Higher Education. She succeeds Vineet Joshi in this position. Both appointments took effect through the same order.
ACC Appointments Place New Chairman at Inland Waterways Authority
Sushil Kumar Lohani becomes Chairman of the Inland Waterways Authority of India. He previously served as Officer on Special Duty in the Cabinet Secretariat. The government has temporarily upgraded this post to Secretary level. Lohani succeeds Sunil Paliwal, who moves to a new role.
Paliwal now takes charge as Secretary, Department of Youth Affairs. He replaces Pallavi Jain Govil following her move to Corporate Affairs.
ACC Appointments Shift Leadership at Jal Shakti Ministry
V. L. Kantha Rao moves from Jal Shakti to Home Affairs. He becomes Officer on Special Duty, Department of Official Language. He holds the rank and pay of Secretary. He will formally take charge as Secretary once Ansuli Arya retires on September 30, 2026.
Archana Varma steps into Rao’s previous role. She becomes Secretary, Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation. She previously served as Mission Director, National Water Mission. Her appointment strengthens leadership at the Jal Shakti Ministry.
ACC Appointments Signal Broader Bureaucratic Reshuffle
This round of changes affects six departments in total. New leadership arrives at Corporate Affairs, Higher Education, Youth Affairs, Water Resources, Official Language, and Inland Waterways. Some changes take effect immediately. Others will apply once current officers retire or move to new posts.
