Alka Sirohi, 1974 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS, assumes office as DoPT secretary

NOW, a woman officer, will be at the helm of department of personnel and training (DoPT) under the ministry of personnel, public grievances and pensions. Alka Sirohi, a 1974 batch Madhya Pradesh cadre IAS has assumed office as secretary, DoPT, replacing her batch-mate Shantanu Consul who is becoming a Member of Shunglu Committee, formed to probe alleged financial irregularities in Delhi’s Commonwealth Games. The DoPT plays a key role in appointments, transfers and framing of rules for IAS among others.

Originally belonging to UP, Sirohi is a post graduate in history and is well versed both in English and French. Beginning her career as an assistant collector of Gwalior way back in 1975, she later became collector in Dewas district of Madhya Pradesh. As a deputy secretary in the ministry of defence, she had her first stint in Central deputation between 1983 and 1986, and later became principal advisor in the Planning Commission and secretary in department of food and public distribution under ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution.

In her state cadre, Sirohi held important assignments in the departments of agriculture cooperation, women and child development and health and family welfare. In 1988, she obtained a management degree from UK.

Her husband RS Sirohi, secretary of National Commission for the Scheduled Tribes, is her batch-mate from the same cadre. According to reports, she is a third generation IAS and her younger sister too is an IAS of UP cadre whereas her brother is a railway officer. Sirohi has two sons.

Action and Appointments

SK Puri, a 1975 batch officer of the Central Engineering Service (Roads) Group ‘A’, has taken over as Director General (Road Development) and special secretary on regular basis in the ministry of road transport and highways with effect from November 1, 2010. Puri was additional Director General in the ministry of road transport and highways prior to his appointment as DG (Roads). He also had a vast experience of working in NHAI. Puri also has international experience of working on National Highway Projects in Nepal, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia for almost a decade.