In a recent development, Chanchal Kumar, an IAS officer currently serving as the Managing Director of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation, has been appointed as the new Secretary of Civil Aviation. As per reports, Kumar will initially take up the position of Officer on Special Duty in the Ministry of Civil Aviation from August 1, with the rank and pay equivalent to the Secretary of the Government of India.
Following the retirement of the incumbent Secretary Rajiv Bansal on August 31, Chanchal Kumar will officially assume the role. This appointment is part of a broader reshuffle of 15 senior bureaucrats across various central government departments. Notably, Rajiv Bansal, who previously served as the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India, he took over as Civil Aviation Secretary in 2021. His appointment coincided with the government’s announcement of a complete stake sale of Air India to address the airline’s significant debt burden.
