At least three of the nine candidates selected for joint secretary posts through lateral entry are already working with the government or government entities. The government is yet to issue appointment orders.

Last June, the government had invited applications for 10 posts of joint secretaries in different ministries under its “lateral entry” scheme in a bid to attract talent from public and private sectors.

TOI has learnt that Suman Prasad Singh, who has been selected for the road transport and highways ministry is working as a project director of NHAI at Kochi. Sources said he was recently shifted from Ahmedabad and he had joined NHAI in 2015 after working in Damodar Valley Corporation. Besides being a civil engineer, he has a Masters in business management from IIT, Kharagpur and has completed his Masters in business law from National Law School of India University, Bangalore.

Bhushan Kumar, who has been selected for the shipping ministry, is working as a general manager with the LNG unit of Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation, which is India’s only state government-owned oil and gas company. An alumni of I K Gujral Punjab Technical University, Kumar is head of shipping, business development and corporate departments.

Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, who has been selected by the UPSC for joint secretary post is currently working as a senior manager (environment) at the government-owned NHPC, which is under the administrative control of water resources ministry. He holds a doctorate in environment sciences. Sources said he was one of the key officials from NHPC who had been interacting with the environment ministry officials.

Source : PTI