NEW DELHI: The central government has designated senior Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer Atal Dulloo as the incoming Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, effective from December 1, this year.

Dulloo, an IAS officer of the 1988-batch belonging to the Arunachal Pradesh-Goa-Mizoram and Union Territory (AGMUT) cadre, is poised to take over following the retirement of the current Chief Secretary, Arun Kumar Mehta, who is set to step down at the end of this month upon reaching the age of 60. Mehta, also an AGMUT cadre officer from the same batch as Dulloo, is retiring on November 30.

Presently serving as the secretary in the Department of Border Management within the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Dulloo's appointment was officially announced by the MHA in an order. The order states, "Upon the superannuation of Arun Kumar Mehta, IAS on November 30, 2023, and repatriation from Central Deputation, Atal Dulloo, IAS is hereby appointed as Chief Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir effective from December 1, 2023, or from the date of assuming charge, whichever is later, and until further orders."

Having held various crucial positions in Jammu and Kashmir, including additional chief secretary and financial commissioner, before being transferred out of the region, Dulloo stands as the senior-most officer currently serving in Jammu and Kashmir after Mehta.

Earlier in the year, Dulloo had been posted on Central deputation as the secretary in the Department of Border Management, returning to his parent cadre at the behest of the MHA. This move has now culminated in his forthcoming appointment as the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir, marking a significant shift in administrative leadership for the region.

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