Get To Know The Man: Modi's Private Secretary

BANGALORE: Rajeev Topno, a senior IAS officer of 1996 batch from Gujarat cadre has been appointed as a Private Secretary to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as per an official order. Topno, who is already working as a Director in PM’s office, is now undertaken key responsibility of disseminating PM’s decisions. He will be the youngest IAS officer to serve this post.

Earlier Topno was appointed as a managing director in IndextB, Gujarat. Prior to that, he provided his services as a Collector at Vadodra and Bharuch. It was news that his promotion was clutched by Modi government for the period of one and half years as he was alleged for his irregularity during his tenure at Kutch district collector. However, he was promoted last year, but this promotion came almost after two years than his batch mates.

IAS officer Sameer Verma was appointed as private secretary for Uma Bharti-Minister for Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation and B V R C Purshottam was appointed as private secretary to M Venkaiah Naidu-Minister of Parliamentary Affairs. Their tenure will be co-terminus with that of the ministers, the order said.

There has been an explosion of controversies regarding the PS to the three Union Ministers, including Home Minister Rajnath Singh whose proposal was not accepted by Modi. Rajnath Singh proposed IPS officer Alok Singh who has served External Minister Salman Khurshid as a PS in his office, said by official sources.

Few days back, P.K. Mishra, former Cadre IAS officer, was appointed as additional principal secretary to PM. He had already served Modi as principal secretary when he was the CM of Gujarat. There is news that another Cadre IAS officer A.K. Sharma could join PMO as a joint secretary.

The government has asked all the Ministries to take an approval of ACC before appointing PS and officer on special duty to a minister.