Amit Khare appointed Secretary to Vice-President after distinguished career in public service

NEW DELHI: A day after CP Radhakrishnan took the oath as Indias 15th Vice-President on 12 September, the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet approved the appointment of retired Jharkhand cadre IAS officer (1985 batch) Amit Khare as Secretary to the Vice-President of India. As per the order issued by the Department of Personnel and Training on Sunday, Khares appointment will be on a contractual basis, in the rank and pay of Secretary, for a period of three years from the date of assumption of charge of the post. Prior to this appointment, Khare had been serving as Advisor to the Prime Minister in the PMO since 12 October 2021, handling matters related to the social sector in the Prime Ministers Office. Earlier, he had also held several key positions in the Central and State Governments during his distinguished career in public service. Khare served the Government of India for six years as Joint Secretary, Higher Education (August 2008August 2014), where he dealt with UNESCO, Education Policy, and Book Promotion & Copyrights. He also worked as Secretary, HRD, Government of Jharkhand, and as Vice-Chancellor of Ranchi University. As Development Commissioner and Additional Chief Secretary, Finance-cum-Planning in Jharkhand, he is credited with introducing wide-ranging reforms such as pre-budget consultations, performance budgeting, gender budgeting, sectoral budgeting, financial inclusion, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and the implementation of various Central and State sector schemes. He joined the Government of India as Secretary, Information & Broadcasting, on 31 May 2018 and subsequently served as Secretary, School Education & Literacy, and Secretary, Higher Education. Khare was part of the core team that formulated and implemented the National Education Policy, 2020. Khare is a graduate of St Stephens College in Delhi and holds a postgraduate degree in Business Administration from IIM Ahmedabad. He is also widely noted for his role in exposing the infamous Fodder Scam of Bihar.