New Delhi: Debashree Mukherjee, IAS, a 1991-batch officer of the AGMUT cadre, has been appointed as the new Secretary of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship (MSDE).
She moves to this critical portfolio after serving as Secretary in the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation under the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Mukherjee’s administrative career spans over three decades across diverse sectors, including water resources, urban development, social welfare, transport, finance and education.
She has held key positions such as Additional Secretary and Special Secretary in the Ministry of Jal Shakti, Joint Secretary in the Prime Minister’s Office, Chief Executive Officer of Delhi Jal Board and Chief MD of Delhi Transport Corporation.
She also served as Commissioner & Deputy Secretary in the Excise Department, Deputy Commissioner in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and Arunachal Pradesh, where Mukherjee held several other key positions. She also undertook a foreign posting as Urban Adviser & Deputy Secretary with the Department for International Development (DFID).
Her tenure has been marked by a consistent focus on governance reforms, infrastructure development and institution building. In recent years, her leadership in the water sector has drawn attention for balancing development priorities with sustainability and resource management.
As she takes charge of the MSDE, Mukherjee is expected to steer the ministry at a pivotal time when India is rapidly reshaping its skilling ecosystem to meet the demands of Industry 4.0, digital transformation and global workforce competitiveness.
Her cross-sectoral experience positions her to align skill development programs with emerging priorities such as AI, green technologies, semiconductor manufacturing and advanced manufacturing under Make in India.
With her administrative insight and wide-ranging experience, Mukherjee is well-placed to accelerate the government’s vision of transforming India into a global hub of skilled talent.
