HT Digital
IMPHAl, APR 21: In a historic move, the Union government has appointed two tribal IAS officers from Manipur to secretary-level positions in the finance ministry — marking the first time Scheduled Tribe members from Northeast India have risen to such senior roles in this critical department.
Vumlunmang Vualnam, a 1992-batch IAS officer from the Paite group within the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar community, has been appointed as Secretary of Expenditure. Meanwhile, K. Moses Chalai, a 1990-batch officer from the Mao Naga community, has been named Secretary of the Department of Public Enterprises.
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These landmark appointments are part of a major bureaucratic reshuffle announced last week, which also saw 16 other senior IAS officers posted to key ministries.
Additionally, another officer from Manipur, Rajesh Agarwal, has been appointed as Officer on Special Duty in the commerce ministry. He is set to take over as Commerce Secretary following the retirement of the current incumbent, Sunil Barthwal, on September 30.
The significance of these appointments is heightened amid ongoing ethnic tensions that have gripped Manipur for nearly two years.
