New Delhi: In a significant bureaucratic development, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) has approved the appointment of two senior officers to key positions in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas.
Alok Tripathi, a 1999 batch officer of the Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS), has been appointed as Joint Secretary in the ministry. According to the official order, his tenure will be for five years from the date he assumes charge of the post or until further orders, whichever is earlier. Tripathi will succeed IAS officer Asheesh Joshi, a 2006 batch officer of the Uttarakhand cadre, who previously held the position.
In a related appointment, A. Amarnath, a 2006 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), has been named Officer on Special Duty (OSD) at the Joint Secretary level in the same ministry. Amarnath will hold the post for a period of three years from the date he takes charge or until further orders.
The appointments come at a crucial time for the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, which is currently handling key policy initiatives related to strengthening India’s energy security, expanding oil and gas exploration, and advancing the country’s transition toward cleaner and more sustainable energy sources.
