Shaktikanta Das designated as Finance Secy for 15 days

Economic Affairs Secretary Shaktikanta Das was on Monday designated as Finance Secretary for about a fortnight during the absence of incumbent Ratan P Watal. Watal, who is Secretary of Department of Expenditure, is also the Finance Secretary. Traditionally, the most senior bureaucrat in the Finance Ministry is named Finance Secretary. The competent authority has approved the assignment of additional charge of the post of Secretary, Department of Expenditure, to Das and designating him as Finance Secretary from December 22, 2015 to January 3, 2016, during the absence on leave of Watal, an order issued by Department of Personnel and Training said. In another order, Devendra Chaudhary has been given additional charge of Secretary, Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation for about 10 days.