Nair likely to make way for Chatterjee

In a major reshuffle at the top in the prime minister's office (PMO), Manmohan Singh’s principal secretary TKA Nair is likely to make room for Pulok Chatterjee. Nair will continue in the PMO as advisor to the PM.

In a major reshuffle at the top in the prime minister's office (PMO), Manmohan Singh’s principal secretary TKA Nair is likely to make room for Pulok Chatterjee. Nair will continue in the PMO as advisor to the PM.

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Sources told HT that orders formalising these changes are likely by the end of the week. Chatterjee will take over as the PM's principal secretary in the beginning of October this year.

A 1974-batch IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, Chatterjee is currently executive director of the World Bank, which he had joined in 2009, after having served in the PMO. Chatterjee’s stint at the World Bank was to end in 2012. Hindustan Times had first reported his likely return to the PMO on July 1.

Chatterjee is expected to streamline communication between the PM's office and the Congress party, given his equal proximity to Singh and Sonia Gandhi, whom he served as private secretary when she was Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha. He is also a batchmate of the current cabinet secretary AK Seth.

The government has already approved the posting of MN Prasad, secretary in the PMO, to the slot to be vacated by Chatterjee in the World Bank. More changes are likely in the PMO, triggered by the seven-year ceiling of tenure that the PM has mandated for officials on deputation.