NEW DELHI: In a significant move, the Centre has decided to grant a one-year extension to Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba, extending his term beyond August 30, 2023, as per a recent Personnel Ministry order. This decision marks the third extension for him, making him the longest-serving cabinet secretary in the country's history.
Before this, B D Pande held the record for being the longest-serving cabinet secretary, serving from November 2, 1972, to March 31, 1977.
Rajiv Gauba, a former Union home secretary, was originally appointed to the prestigious bureaucratic post for a two-year term in 2019. However, he received one-year extensions in both 2021 and August of the following year.
The extension was granted by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) and allows Gauba, a 1982-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Jharkhand cadre, to continue his service for another year beyond 30.08.2023. The extension was made possible by relaxing the AIS (Death-cum-Retirement Benefits or DCRB) Rules, 1958, and Rule 56 (d) of the Fundamental Rules. As per the rules, the total term of the cabinet secretary, including extensions, cannot exceed four years.
This latest extension holds particular significance as it will enable Gauba to remain in his position during the upcoming general elections, scheduled for early next year.
Gauba is widely recognized as the key architect behind the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. This act led to the reorganization of the former state into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh after the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted the state special status.
Prior to his current role, Gauba served as the secretary in the Union urban development ministry and held the position of additional secretary in the home ministry, where he was responsible for handling critical matters related to left-wing extremism, among other duties.
Originally hailing from Punjab, Gauba graduated in Physics from Patna University. Before joining the central government in 2016, he served as the chief secretary of Jharkhand for 15 months.
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